Ashes to Ashes
by GuardianM1234
Summary: Following a messy divorce, King Bowser tries to juggle ruling his kingdom, fathering eight children, and winning over Princess Peach.
1. Memory

King Bowser Koopa, ruler of the Darklands, powerful conqueror and feared leader, readied himself for the chaos that was waiting for him behind the locked door. Although he had numerous years of combat training under his belt, nothing had prepared him for the task that loomed ahead: putting eight children to bed.

"Alright, quiet down!" He bellowed as he walked into the room. Everyone froze. His eyes scanned across the faces before him. Wendy, the eldest, had her younger brother Roy in a headlock. Roy was clutching Wendy's phone, which he had used to take 349 pictures of himself. Ludwig, Iggy and Lemmy were huddled in the corner, and had been arguing about some sort of trading card game. Cards were everywhere, undoubtedly because someone had thrown them in anger. Above them, Morton dangled from the ceiling fan, spinning in slow circles. Larry and Bowser Junior stared up at Bowser with wide innocent eyes, cheeks puffed out with chocolates.

Bowser pinched the bridge of his nose, and began to address each of them.

"Roy, give your sister back her phone. Wendy, you know better than to attack your brother. Plus your form needs a little work." He noted. "Ludwig, Iggy and Lemmy make sure you clean up all the cards. Larry and Junior, you know the rules about sugar right before bed." He scolded. "And Morton... I'm not even going to ask." He said as he removed the duct tape and safely transported Morton to the ground.

All eight of them did as they were told, and walked to their rooms which were shared by one hallway. Wendy had her own room, but the others shared in groups of two or three. As they settled into their beds Bowser began congratulating himself and preparing to leave when he heard one of them calling out to him.

"I'm thirsty!" Larry complained loudly.

"Me too!" Junior chimed in.

"Me three!" Roy added from across the hall.

One by one they began clamoring for a drink.

"Alright stay in your beds, I'll get everyone some water," he announced.

Bowser walked down the hall to the elevator, and took it down to the third floor. Although the kitchen on the main floor was open all day and night, the smaller one was only used when needed for grand parties and balls. Bowser looked through the cabinets and quickly found the glasses. He realized that it would be impossible for him to carry eight full cups all by himself. Yet he hated having the servants wait on the children. They were his responsibility, and he wanted to take care of them the best that he could. Thinking quickly, Bowser filled a plastic nozzle water bottle up with tap water from the sink.

He returned to the hallway outside their rooms. To his surprise and delight, none of them had left their beds.

Bowser started with Junior and Larry's room because they were the youngest.

"Open up," he instructed, and squirted water into Larry's waiting mouth.

He continued quickly from room to room until everyone had received a drink and the water bottle was nearly empty. Once again Bowser turned to walk to his own room when he was interrupted.

"Wait, can you tell us a bedtime story?" Junior asked meekly.

"Yeah, we can't go to sleep without a story!" Exclaimed Iggy from the other room.

"One story. That's it." Bowser warned them. He was exhausted, but he forced himself to stay.

He stood in the hallway within earshot of all of their rooms.

"Once there was a strong Koopa, named, uh, Fowser. He was the bravest and most talented in all the land. He was so great that people made statues of him, and sang songs about him and saved everything that he touched. Fowser was the best at everything. No one could beat him at checkers, bowling, arm-wrestling, thumb wars, bingo..." Bowser continued to rattle off his many perceived areas of expertise. "Pumpkin carving, rap battles, tennis, go-cart racing, pancake eating contests, Yahtzee, juggling, whistling the loudest during ball games, food fights-"

"This is boring!" Roy interrupted.

Bowser's plan to continue listing his talents and then saying "the end" was foiled.

"Can you make it a love story?" Wendy suggested.

"Fine, but no more talking over the story teller!" Bowser warned them. He scrambled to changed tactics. "Anyway, Fowser was so handsome that he could win over any girl that he wanted, except for one. Her name was Brin Cessbeach, or Brin for short. She was his best friend."

"What kind of a name is Brin Cessbeach?" Roy asked sarcastically.

Bowser ignored his comment and continued.

"Fowser would do anything to have Brin feel the same way he felt for her. But she never gave him a chance. Even though he tried, she never made time for him. So Fowser took matters into his own hands. He took Brin away from her busy kingdom so that he could spend time with her. She appreciated the break." He paused, waiting for one of his children to interrupt. They all listened with rapt attention.

"But every time that Fowser hung out with Brin, her evil boyfriend, Stario, would come and take her away. Fowser always fought Stario to keep Brin with him, but he knew that she loved her kingdom. He purposely lost every fight so that she never had to be away from what she loved. Fowser wanted to spend the rest of his life with Brin, so he proposed to her. But she turned him down. She told him that she would never marry him and that he had to stop seeing her." Emotion bubbled up inside him, and Bowser had to stop for a moment to collect himself. That was the end of the story, but he knew he had to give it a happy ending for his kids.

"Fowser never gave up hope that one day Brin would see all that he did for her and realize that she loved him. And though it took time, eventually Brin apologized and they became friends again. Finally friendship turned into romance and they got married and lived happily ever after." The words stung on Bowser's lips.

"That was a good story," mumbled Larry, half asleep.

"Thank you, Dad," Junior whispered.

"You're welcome. Good night." Bowser wished them. He could barely keep himself together.

He walked down the hall, but instead of turning toward his own room he went to the main floor kitchen. He ordered a large chocolate milkshake. Minutes later it arrived, spun extra thick and topped with lots of whipped cream and a cherry. Bowser picked it up hastily and walked out to the small balcony that fanned out from the empty dining room. He was outside in the fresh night air and most importantly, alone. The stars glittered coldly above his head.

"I wish things turned out differently with Peach," loose tears slid down his cheeks. "I would give anything to see her again," he announced out loud.

He waited. But the stars stubbornly refused to budge.

"I wish that she could see how hard I'm trying. How much I care about her!" His tears added a touch of saltiness to the milkshake.

Bowser remained outside long enough to finish his drink. But not a single star fell.

He sighed and left the balcony to return his glass to the kitchen. Deep in his heart he feared that his wishes would never come true.

A/N: I'm back! I'm sorry that it's been so long. Officially this is the sequel to 'Into the Fire' and 'Smoke,' but like the others this story can be read independently of my other works. I was planning on releasing it sooner, but my first outline was honestly super bad. It was boring and a lot of the plot was driven by economic market changes and political disputes. Which is realistic for today's world, but really lame for a Mario-related fanfiction. So I scrapped the whole thing and started over. Now that I have a new plan I'm really excited for this story. I'm very very very sorry for the long wait, but I hope that it was worth it. Much love, Guardian.


	2. Hatch

The next morning all of the Koopalings arrived at the breakfast table, but to their surprise, Bowser did not join them.

"King Bowser is feeling a little under the weather and has declined to come to breakfast." Kamek told them once they were all seated. As head advisor to the throne, Kamek was more of a family friend than a servant.

"Awww, I wanted to show him my picture I drew," Junior complained, holding out the scribbly drawing.

"I can bring it to him. I'm sure that he would love to see it." Kamek offered warmly. He took the picture from Junior's hand and with a wave of his wand, he disappeared.

Soon the breakfast staff wheeled out the silver carts loaded with bacon, eggs, French toast and lots of Sap Syrup. The table went silent for a few minutes while everyone ate their first few bites. But tranquility never lasted long with Bowser's children.

"Ewww, can you not?" Wendy loudly complained as she watched Morton pour syrup into his hand and lap it up like a dog.

"This is the way I eat!" Morton exclaimed proudly.

On the other side of Wendy, Larry saw Morton and decided to copy him. On either side of her, Wendy watched her brothers lick syrup out of their sticky hands.

Meanwhile, Roy was discovering how many pieces of bacon he could throw into Ludwig's hair before his brother noticed. Five pieces sat nested upon his head.

"Ludwig, who's the best composer of all time?" Iggy asked, helping to keep his brother distracted.

"Yeah Ludwig, who is it? You would know," Lemmy added, working together with his twin.

Junior watched his siblings, fascinated, as Larry slyly slipped the French toast from Junior's plate and began to eat it himself.

"You are both so gross!" Wendy yelled, her high-pitched voice ringing out above the chaos.

"Although Ludwig Van Beethoven had some smash hits, ultimately much of his work was influenced by other composers at the time..." Ludwig droned on as another piece of bacon was launched into his hair.

"Did somebody eat my toast?" Junior asked, completely oblivious to Larry gobbling it down beside him.

"I will break every bone in your bodies!" Wendy screamed at her brothers who were threatening to wipe their sticky fingers on her clothes.

"Yet Vivaldi was trapped by the resources available to him at the time. Had he greater exposure to other instruments or even other styles of music, he surely would have soared higher and accomplished more with his work. A shame." Ludwig closed his eyes and shook his head sadly. A piece of bacon fell from his hair to his plate, but he remained unaware. "Now Brahms on the other hand..."

"I think I saw Lemmy eat it," Larry informed Junior with his mouth full.

Suddenly, the chaos was interrupted by a cloud of shimmery blue smoke, signaling Kamek's return.

"King Bowser is faring slightly better." He reported. "I believe your picture cheered his spirits, Bowser Junior."

"He must have been sick last night too. He was acting weird when he told us that story," Ludwig reasoned.

"What story?" Asked Kamek.

"It was about a Koopa named Fowser and Brin Cessbeach," Larry explained.

"Like obviously he made it all up, but seriously he was about to cry." Wendy added.

"Brin Cessbeach, huh?" Kamek's lips hinted at a smile. "I'm not surprised that it made him emotional."

"Why?" Junior asked wide eyed.

Kamek simply smiled at the children in front of him, waiting for them to figure it out.

"Duh!" Wendy exclaimed after a few moments. "The story is about Bowser- Bowser is Fowser!"

In response, Kamek nodded, but it was almost too slight to see.

"But Bowser isn't married anymore," Iggy said carefully.

"What if Brin Cessbeach is his ex-wife?" Roy suggested.

"And he was about to cry because he still loves her! Awww that's actually kind of sweet." Wendy gushed.

"It seems like you all have a lot to discuss with Bowser," Kamek said aloofly, eyeing the situation. "Anyway, I must attend to other matters, and you all need to get ready for your tutoring." He turned to go. "Ludwig, I believe you have something in your hair." He noted off-handedly before he disappeared.

"Guys, we have to find out who Brin Cessbeach is," Wendy announced to the group.

Ludwig took the pieces of bacon out of his hair one by one and began to eat them.

"It's not our business, Wendy," Roy argued loudly.

"He obviously still has feelings for her. Think of all that he's done for us." Wendy reminded them. "We should do something nice for him."

"What could we do? Send Brin Cessbeach a letter about how Bowser isn't over her? They must have separated for a reason," Roy insisted.

"I just want to make him happy. And what if she still loves him? And they can only find happiness through each other!" Wendy bubbled with excitement.

"I think you've seen way too many romance movies," Ludwig rolled his eyes.

"I'm not kidding guys! The least we can do is figure out who she is. Since Bowser changed his name to Fowser in the story I'm sure Brin Cessbeach isn't her real name," Wendy reasoned. "Come on," she urged, "we've got to do this for him."

"Let's have a vote," Ludwig proposed. "All in favor of finding out who Brin Cessbeach is, raise your hands."

Wendy, Junior, and Larry raised their hands.

"All opposed, raise your hands," Ludwig continued.

Roy, Ludwig, and Morton raised their hands.

"Lemmy and Iggy didn't vote!" Roy scolded the twins.

"You guys have to vote," Wendy told them.

Lemmy and Iggy looked at each other nervously. In any issue with their siblings they preferred to be neutral pacifists.

"We don't want to vote." Iggy spoke for both of them.

Wendy and Roy glared at them, ready to fight.

"Wait!" Morton interjected. "I got confused. I voted for the wrong one."

Roy and Ludwig groaned. Wendy beamed.

"So it's settled." She declared. "At the very least, we'll find out who Brin Cessbeach is, and maybe," she gave a pointed look to Roy, "we'll see if we can get the two of them back together."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Wendy," Roy warned menacingly before he and the others turned away to get ready for tutoring.

A/N: And off we go. Thank you so much for the kind words! It really means a lot to me when readers comment on my work or follow/favorite. I am so grateful to be back, and so thankful for your support. I hope you have a fantastic week! Much love, Guardian


	3. Buried

After nearly a week of trying to squeeze information out of everyone in the castle, the Koopalings were unsuccessful at determining who Brin Cessbeach was. Whenever they asked Bowser, he always told them that it was just a story and that Brin Cessbeach wasn't real. On the numerous occasions that they approached Kammy, the head housekeeper, she always had some sort of emergency to attend to that required her to vanish. And Kamek would only smile at them and tell them to ask someone else. The rest of the house staff didn't have any information, mainly because they were too afraid of Bowser to know much about his personal life.

But Wendy was unshakably determined to uncover Brin Cessbeach's true identity.

She spent nearly a week checking under beds and couches, rummaging through old chests and drawers, and searching through book shelves, hoping to find some sort of evidence of Brin Cessbeach's existence. Wendy had swept through the entire west end of the first floor of the castle, and had moved onto the east end. So far she hadn't found a single love letter. Worse, all the photographs in the family scrapbooks spanned from Bowser's infancy to teenage years- none were saved after his father's death when Bowser was barely an adult. But Wendy did not give up hope. After her siblings went to bed, Wendy crept out of her room toward the east end of the castle.

The Heritage Room was filled with artifacts found in the Darklands' foothills. They were assumed to be from the ancient Koopas who roamed the land long before the kingdoms rose and fell. Excitement fluttered in Wendy's chest. If she were to hide something, this room would be an excellent choice. It was closed off to the public, with only scholars and members of the Koopa royal family allowed entrance. Wendy began examining the woven baskets and pottery, looking inside for secret letters or clues.

Suddenly, there was a puff of blue smoke and Kamek appeared. She had been so focused that his arrival gave Wendy a start.

"What are you doing in here, Wendy?" He asked her, though his eyes sparkled as if he already knew the answer.

"What are you doing in here, Kamek?" Wendy challenged, knowing that he wasn't a scholar or official member of the Koopa royal family.

"Bowser asked me to check on you. He told me that he's caught you poking around the castle this past week and was worried that you lost your phone again." Kamek explained. "You know, Wendy," he continued, "having a cellphone is a big responsibility. Being responsible for your possessions is an important part of growing up, and I-"

"I didn't lose my phone." Wendy retorted sternly. She hated getting lectures from Kamek.

He smiled softly back at her. "What are you doing in here?" He asked again gently.

Wendy floundered. She didn't know what to say. Kamek had already disproved her best cover-up before she could even use it.

"Let's get you back into your room," Kamek suggested. "It's late, and I'm sure you're tired."

"I just want to do something good." Wendy admitted, but it sounded like a flimsy excuse.

"There is no need to prove yourself," Kamek reassured her. "Besides, all answers come in time."

Wendy looked up at him in confusion. But before she could ask for clarification, his image melted and bled away and Wendy found herself transported under the covers of her bed. She had too much running through her mind to fall asleep.

* * *

With his heart racing and cold sweat chilling his bones, Junior heard Wendy leave her bedroom and walk toward the east side of the castle. He had woken up from a nightmare moments before, and was scared that some sort of monster was lurking around the hallway. But when he heard the jingle of Wendy's bracelets he knew that it was only his sister likely sneaking out to see her friends. Yet he still could not relax. Every time he closed his eyes he caught a glimpse of the monster from his dream that had eaten his favorite Wiggler plushie. Junior was sure that the monster was waiting outside his room, ready to eat him and his stuffed animal in real life.

"Pst. Larry." Junior whispered to the bed across from him.

Larry rolled over in his sleep but did not stir.

"Larry!" Junior whispered louder.

Still his brother remained asleep.

As quietly as he could, Junior got out a piece of paper from his desk and scrawled out a note to the monster. He slid it under the door and waited a few moments for the monster to read it. Then with all the speed he could muster he threw open the door and raced down the abandoned hallway toward Bowser's room. The note reading "don't eet me, eet my brufer" lay trampled on the floor.

"DAAAAAAD!" Junior wailed outside his father's room.

Almost immediately Bowser opened the door.

"What's wrong, Junior?" His father rubbed his eyes and tried to hide a yawn.

"I had a bad dream," he answered, panting.

Wordlessly Bowser opened the door farther so that Junior could slip inside. He scrambled to the bed and crawled under the covers. Junior always felt safer knowing that his dad was right next to him, and would beat up any monsters that tried to hurt them in the night.

"It's just a dream." Bowser reminded him. "There's no need to be scared." He said as he plopped down on the bed.

"I'll try not to kick you while I'm asleep this time," Junior offered helpfully.

"Thanks." Bowser murmured, barely awake.

But although Junior wasn't scared anymore, he still couldn't go to bed. Adrenaline was rushing through his veins and he felt springy and energized. Remembering the agreement that he and his siblings had made, Junior looked around the room, trying to see if there was anything there that would tell him more about Brin Cessbeach. There were several portraits of Bowser hanging from the wall, and a few shelves with books and important documents. On his bedside table was a photo of the whole family on a camping trip. But there were no pictures of Brin Cessbeach.

Bowser snored noisily beside Junior, occasionally muttering in his sleep.

Junior started to doubt that she was real. Bowser had told them that he made the characters up and he had never lied to them before. Maybe Brin Cessbeach was Bowser's imaginary friend, similar to Junior's cohort of fictional peers.

"Don't do it!" Bowser cried suddenly beside Junior. His voice was clear though his eyes were closed. "You're a princess, Peach. He's a plumber. Why do you always go back to him?" His voice died down and he mumbled something before he rolled over.

The name Princess Peach sounded familiar, but Junior couldn't remember where he had heard it. Was she one of Bowser's employees? Maybe one of Bowser's council members? Or was she a character from one of the romantic movies that Bowser pretended to hate but secretly enjoyed? He couldn't recall. Anyway, as Bowser told him earlier, it was just a dream. Junior pushed it from his mind and closed his eyes.

Moments later he pitched upright, rattled by his realization: Brin Cessbeach was Princess Peach!

* * *

Princess Peach looked out the gilded carriage window as the charming countryside streamed by. Rolling hills and meadows sprawled ahead of her, dotted with black and white spotted moo moos grazing peacefully. It was so mesmerizing that Peach had forgotten the half-finished book that rested in her lap.

"Ten minutes 'til we reach Noki Bay!" The driver called out, pulling Peach from her thoughts.

Peach's eyes darted back to her book. She hurriedly began to skim each page:

'During these visitations, it is just as important to make a good impression with the local townspeople as it is with the ruling monarch. Smile and wave at everyone that you pass.'

That's obvious, thought Peach. She flipped ahead several pages.

'Discretion is key. Try to conveniently get to your point without being blunt. Refrain from using slang terms. It is never a good idea to address your host with an insult (i.e do not say "Hello Misshapen Tooth!").'

Peach rolled her eyes.

Toadsworth had given her the book "Saving the Monarchy: for dummies!" and had instructed her to finish it by the time she arrived at Noki Bay. But almost all the information was common sense. Peach read the entire last page and shut the book. If Toadsworth asked she would tell him that she read the end.

As the carriage grew closer Peach could faintly hear a sound, almost like a cheer, rising up from the village. Peach smiled at the marvelous welcome. But as she drew nearer she realized it wasn't cheering, but a rowdy chant.

"Go back home! Go back home!" The crowd yelled over and over. They lined the street, barely leaving enough room for the carriage to drive through.

From the window Peach could see angry protesters holding home-made signs with messages like "SAVE YOURSELF!" "ADULTS DON'T GET ALLOWANCE!" and "I WORK FOR MY MONEY... DO YOU?" scrawled in large black letters.

Peach swallowed back tears over the chorus of "Go back home!" She would not let these peasants see her cry. Instead she smiled and waved at the jeering faces.

In response a tomato pelted her window.

Peach flinched, startled. Tears threatened to fall at the corners of her eyes.

Several other overripe fruits hurled through the air, but fortunately the carriage reached the drawbridge before another produce item could collide with its target.

"Wow! And here I thought there wouldn't be anything exciting on this trip!" The driver laughed as they crossed safely over the empty bridge toward the Noki castle.

Peach said nothing. She stared straight ahead at the carriage wall, refusing to look back at the protesters. Yet the chorus of "Go back home!" still rang in her ears no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

A/N: Thank you so much for the wonderful comments! As Kamek said, all answers come in time, and eventually everything from Bowser's past will be revealed. Please let me know what you think of this chapter, I am always so appreciate to receive feedback. I hope you have a spectacular week. Much love, Guardian


	4. Launch

"Guys, I still can't even believe that it's Princess Peach! She's in all the best magazines from the Mushroom Kingdom." Wendy gushed after Junior broke the news to them.

"I can see why their marriage didn't last..." Roy commented snarkily. "Just look at her. What a wuss." He wrinkled his nose at the glossy page that Wendy had held up to show them.

Princess Peach was wearing a comically puffy pink dress, long lacey white gloves and delicate high heels. Her blonde hair was perfectly arrayed with each strand tucked into place. In one hand she carried a prop parasol that would offer little protection against the sun or rain. In the other hand she carried a fluffy white kitten. She smiled innocently at the camera with her big shining eyes. The caption read "Peach Isn't Kitten Around."

"Don't be mean Roy," Wendy chastised, pulling the page away from their view. "I think they could be perfect together."

"Now that we've found out who Brin Cessbeach is, there isn't much more that we can do. Even if we send her a letter, I'm sure that she receives tons of fan mail every day. There's no way that she would read it." Ludwig reasoned logically.

"She might be able to ignore a letter, but she won't be able to ignore a public visit. Especially one sent from the King of the Darklands," Wendy smirked. "She'll be expecting to see Bowser but instead she'll meet me and I'll tell her that he still loves her and that she should go back to him."

"That's a terrible idea." Roy argued.

"I think it's a good idea," Morton chimed in.

"No one cares about your opinion," Roy retorted.

"I agree. Not with "no body cares about your opinion," but the other thing Roy said." Ludwig specified. "Wendy, your plan is both risky and illegal."

"I don't want Wendy to go to jail!" Larry cried.

"Nobody is going to jail." Wendy soothed. "Instead of a visitation with the King of the Darklands, it could be with the Prince of the Darklands." She offered slyly.

"But that means Junior will have to be the one to deliver the news..." Iggy pointed out.

"What if Princess Peach knows that he's not even in elementary school yet?" Lemmy asked mildly.

"That's a gamble we have to be willing to take." Wendy admitted. "Plus, he won't go alone. We'll be with him as moral support."

"It's still a dumb plan." Roy pointed out. "Bowser is going to notice that we're all gone without a chaperone. We won't even get out of the Darklands before Kamek catches us."

"That's where Morton comes in," Wendy smiled, clearly ready for this question.

"Me?" Morton asked, flattered.

"Yes. You have a very special, very unique job." Wendy enthused. "You'll stay behind and if anyone asks where we are, say that we're playing hide-and-seek and that you haven't found us yet."

Roy laughed loudly. "Really? You're going to leave Morton behind? He messes up everything!"

"Which is why we can't take him with us to the Mushroom Kingdom." Wendy said matter-of-factly.

Morton frowned, realizing that he was the first element of the plan that Roy and Wendy agreed upon.

"Your job is very important, Morton," Ludwig attempted to cheer his brother up.

"I'm scared," Junior admitted, drawing attention away from Morton.

"There are still a few wrinkles to iron out," Wendy conceded, "but overall I think that this could work."

"You're crazy." Roy shook his head. "There's no way we're doing this."

"If something goes wrong, I'll take all the blame," Wendy offered. "None of you will get in trouble, only me."

"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" Roy grinned. "I'm all in." He would take any opportunity to watch Wendy get punished for something he did.

"I'll mail the letter this evening," Wendy beamed. "This is so exciting guys! I have always wanted to meet Princess Peach in person."

"Me too." Morton frowned.

"You'll have plenty of chances to meet her when she gets back together with Bowser." Wendy smiled, thoroughly assured that her plan would work.

"I guess so." Morton agreed, placated. "And," he continued, "this is a good chance to get better at lying."

"You're going to do great!" Wendy feigned confidence, though internally she was praying that for once Morton wouldn't ruin the plan.

* * *

For the first time in what felt like eons, it was delightfully quiet in the Koopa castle. Bowser heard no screamed arguments in the hallways on his way to the throne room, and after meeting with his advisors he received no urgent notification that his children were trying to light each other on fire. It was magical. After his meetings Bowser cautiously slipped away to his study, taking great pains to keep from being spotted. He began to read through all of the proposed legislature that he had been putting off for weeks. It was far easier to concentrate when he didn't hear a chorus of voices complaining outside his door. The afternoon flew by as he read. By the time he finished his stack of documents it was almost dinner time.

Bowser whistled he strode through the castle toward the dining area.

But when he sat down at the table, Morton was the only one who joined him.

"Do the others know that the food is ready?" Bowser asked conversationally.

Morton squinted as if he was concentrating very hard.

"They aren't coming." He answered finally. He seemed to laboriously spit out each word.

"Why not?"

"We are playing hide-and-seek. I haven't found them yet." Morton pursed his lips and his eyes darted around the room away from Bowser's gaze.

"I noticed that it was unusually quiet. I guess that explains it." Bowser commented casually. Morton had always been a little socially awkward. Maybe he felt embarrassed because he hadn't found any of his siblings, Bowser reasoned.

"It's quiet because they are hiding. For hide-and-seek." Morton repeated nervously. "They are still here. In the house," he added.

"I guess they're pretty good at the game, huh?" Bowser remarked, unsure of what else to say.

"You can say that again!" Morton exclaimed heartily with a swing of his arm. He laughed loudly before gulping down the water in front of him.

Although Morton had the least social graces of all the children, he was acting especially strange. Bowser became suspicious. His kids had been quiet for far too long. Something was off.

Bowser went over to the panel in the wall which contained the speaker system.

"Attention all Koopalings," his voice boomed throughout the entire castle, "you have ten minutes to get out of your hiding spots and come to the table. First one here will receive a special prize." Bowser promised, although he hadn't thought far enough ahead to determine what the reward was going to be.

Ten minutes ticked by and Morton was still the only one present.

Bowser was concerned. His children had never missed a meal before, and the prospect of defeating each other in a game had never failed to enticed them. Although he tried to give them as much privacy as possible, Bowser decided to use Kamek's tracking powers as a last-ditch effort to locate them.

"Kamek, can you find where all the Koopalings are?" He whispered covertly into the walkie-talkie that he carried with him at all times.

"Certainly," his advisor obliged through the radio with a crackly static voice.

Bowser stared at Morton while he waited for Kamek to get back to him. He couldn't shake the feeling that Morton wasn't telling him everything.

"Are you sure that you don't know where your siblings are?" Bowser asked.

Morton said nothing.

"This is very important. I need you to help me here," he probed. Morton had never been very rebellious. Bowser knew that he would crack eventually.

But before Morton could answer, Kamek's voice crackled through the walkie-talkie.

"I have some bad news, my King," he began. "Aside from Morton, the Koopalings are not in the castle."

"Well, where are they then?" Bowser tried to keep his panic under control.

"I do not know. They are outside of the range of my powers." Kamek informed him. "I will let you know if anything changes."

"Thank you." Bowser muttered, overwhelmed. This was the first time that Kamek was unable to find them. The children had to be very far away.

In an instant Bowser felt like his world was crashing down around him. He forced himself to breathe deeply and slowly. His heart beat wildly in his chest as he imagined what terrible things could have happened to his children.

"Attention all staff." His voice sounded strong and commanding in the loudspeaker. "All of the Koopalings except for Morton are officially missing. Report to Kamek in the conference room in three minutes. He will organize search parties and assign areas on a grid. We will find my children." He finished.

"And you," Bowser said, turning to Morton, "are not leaving this table until you tell me everything you know about where your siblings are."

Morton swallowed nervously, hoping that he wouldn't foil Wendy's plan.

A/N: I'm so incredibly grateful for all of the feedback that I have received for this story so far! Thank you for the comments. And of course thank you for reading. I hope that you have a superb week! Much love, Guardian


	5. Squared

Peach adjusted the glittering tiara on her head and took a deep breath. Although she was unsure of the reason behind her meeting with nobility from the Darklands, she prepared herself for the worst. Bowser had always said that he would conquer the world. And after she turned down his marriage proposal, perhaps he had decided to start with the Mushroom Kingdom. Peach couldn't bear to imagine war between their countries. Then again, if Bowser did want to take over her kingdom, why hadn't he done it sooner? It had been over three years since she had last spoken to him. During that time there had been absolutely no contact between the two nations.

She examined the rose gold watched that hung delicately on her wrist. Assuming that Bowser would arrive on-time, she had five more minutes to prepare herself. Peach looked over the notecard that Toadsworth had given her. In the event that Bowser wasn't trying to take over the kingdom, Peach was instructed to attempt negotiating a trading partnership or other economic relationship with the Darklands. The Mushroom Kingdom economy had fallen dramatically after Peach broke up with Mario. Without the kidnapping storyline permeating the media, the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom were no longer distracted from the many shortcomings of the nation. Riots and protests were frequent. Although the Noki kingdom's generous donation helped slightly, Peach still feared that the monarchy would be overthrown.

Four minutes.

Her mind struggled to recall the last thing that she had spoken to him. Peach couldn't draw up the memory of what she said, but she would never forget the look on his face when she handed the ring back to him.

Suddenly, the door to the throne room opened three minutes too early. To Peach's surprise, seven Koopa children spilled into the grand hall.

"Oh, I'm sorry, this area is closed to school tour groups," Peach informed them politely. Occasionally tourists would accidentally wander into areas that were off limits.

A child wearing a huge pink hairbow stepped forward and gave a low curtsy.

"Your royal highness, my name is Wendy Koopa. I am the one who scheduled a conference with you today." She explained.

"I have a conference with King Bowser of the Darklands." Peach corrected, believing that the children were pranking her. "Unfortunately, I have some very important business to attend to, but my guards would be happy to help you locate your tour group. As I understand, there are complimentary refreshments in the royal kitchen at the end of the guided walk-through." She smiled kindly at the children.

"Your conference _is_ with Bowser." Wendy spoke up. "Prince Bowser Junior, that is."

The smallest of the children shuffled to the front of the group. He smiled shyly.

To Peach's shock, Bowser Junior looked nearly identical to Bowser. She knew then that the children were not making anything up. There was no doubt that he truly was Bowser's son and successor. Although there were hundreds of questions buzzing in Peach's mind, she pushed past them and instead continued to address the matter at hand.

"My apologies, Prince Bowser." She admitted. "What is the topic that you would like to discuss with me today?" She asked, as if nothing had changed.

"We came here today to talk with you about King Bowser." Wendy answered for him.

"But before that, can I go to the bathroom? It's been a looooong car ride." Remarked the child wearing sunglasses.

"Shut up Roy!" Wendy hissed.

"Of course. The guards will show you to the lavatory," Peach offered.

One by one all of the children filed out of the throne room. They followed the guards like a trail of ducklings waddling after their mother.

"We'll be right back," Wendy promised as she shut the door behind them.

Alone, Peach's head was spinning. Bowser Junior was no doubt Bowser's biological son, yet who was the mother of the children? Peach could feel herself filling with a prickly feeling. She wondered who Bowser's new woman was. Could she be his wife? Obviously the mystery woman had to truly love Bowser- or money- in order to have seven children with him. Peach felt a shred of anger upon realizing how easy it was for Bowser to get over her so quickly.

The door to the throne room swung open again, interrupting Peach's thoughts.

"Thank you for waiting," Wendy said politely as they all filtered back into the room.

"Of course." Peach obliged.

After a moment, Wendy took up the conversation.

"Alright. So a while ago Bowser was telling us this story about his past, but he used fake names. He called himself Fowser, and told us about how Fowser was best friends with a girl named Brin Cessbeach. We figured it out that you are Brin Cessbeach. He told us that Fowser fell in love with Brin Cessbeach, and that they got married. Clearly, there is more to the story. I just wanted-"

"Are you my mom?" Bowser Junior interrupted. "Why did you leave Dad?"

Peach was completely rattled by the question.

"It seems that there's a lot that I need to tell you." She began.

* * *

"Tell me everything that you can remember from today," Bowser asked slowly, staring deep into Morton's eyes.

"Well..." Morton paused to collect his thoughts. "Wendy said that we were all going to play hide-and-seek. She said I had to be "it" even though I wanted to go with them."

"Go where with them?"

"To the hiding spots." Morton corrected his mistake.

Bowser waited for him to continue.

"Anyway, so they all hid. And I spent the whole day looking for them. I didn't know that they were planning to leave the castle to go on a trip." Morton winced, realizing he revealed more than he should have.

"Morton, I know that you've been lying to me. You have three seconds to tell me the truth. One," Bowser paused dramatically. "Two," and eternity seemed to pass. "Three," he finished.

Morton trembled at what would come next.

"You leave me no choice. Until you tell me what you know, I will spoil all of your favorite cartoons, television shows, and books."

Morton tried to put his fingers in his ears before Bowser grabbed his hands.

"Last chance." Bowser waited. "Alright. In 'The Amazing Spindermannen,' Uncle Sven dies."

"No!" Morton screamed.

"And in CarWars, Darth Volvo is Lexus's father."

Morton's eyes widened in horror.

"Don't even get me started with Hairy Otter." Bowser threatened.

"Ok I'm sorry! Wendy and Roy and Ludwig and Lemmy and Iggy and Larry and Junior went to the Mushroom Kingdom to tell Princess Peach that you still like her!" Morton cried.

Bowser paled in shock.

"They told me to stay behind and cover for them. But now they're going to hate me!" Morton wailed.

"They won't hate you. Come with me." Bowser grasped Morton's hand tightly and rushed to the garage, towing him along. "We're going to get your siblings. They are in so much trouble." He growled while he helped Morton into the Clown Car and buckled his seat belt for him.

Bowser got into the driver seat and started the ignition. Soon the vehicle was rocketing through the air full throttle, jetting toward the Mushroom Kingdom.

* * *

Peach felt seven pairs of eyes staring at her with rapt attention. Her brain was scattered but she forced herself to begin the story.

"It's true that Bowser and I were best friends when we were younger." She started, nervously adjusting the gloves on her hands. "But I was also friends with someone else, Mario. They used to fight over me, over which one would get to play with me that day on the playground." Peach laughed at the childishness. "But things slowly started to get out of control. We grew up, and the fights turned into battles."

"I'm sure Bowser always won." Roy remarked out of turn.

"No one won." Peach corrected. "Each fight only ended in pain and further hatred toward the other."

She paused, unsure of how much to share with the children about her personal life. She decided to jump forward in the story.

"But one day, Bowser proposed to me. I was very surprised, but there were lots of reasons why I had to say no." Peach admitted.

"Wait, so you weren't married to him?" Wendy asked, astonished.

"No." Peach stated firmly. "And I'm sorry dear, but I'm not your mother." She addressed Bowser Junior.

"Then what happened?" Larry asked eagerly.

"He took the ring back. That was the last I saw of him." Peach told them simply.

Instantly their voices broke out, rising above each other in a tangled mess of questions.

"SHUT UP!" Wendy screamed, and they all fell silent. "Thank you for telling us this. We have something to tell you too, about Bowser. Even though you haven't seen him in a long time, Bowser still-"

Suddenly Wendy was interrupted by an even louder voice piercing through the throne chambers.

"Wendy, Roy, Ludwig, Lemmy, Iggy, Larry and Junior!" Bowser yelled in one breath from across the room. "Get over here right now!"

A/N: Thank you so much for the lovely comments! I always welcome feedback. I really enjoyed writing the "spoilers" for the parodies in this chapter. As always thank you for reading, and I hope that you have a wonderous week! Much love, Guardian


	6. Switch

Bowser stared in shock at the blonde woman who sat before him flanked by his children. She looked slightly older than he remembered, maturing from a youthful prettiness into glamorous sophistication. But her eyes were still the same: pristine crystal blue. His heart rate increased and instantly he felt like a teenager again. No matter how much time passed, her presence would always have the same effect over him.

Hearing their names, Bowser's children obediently left Princess Peach's side and ran over to him. His mood shifted back to the previous frustration and concern.

"The whole castle has been looking all over the Darklands for you!" Bowser knelt down to look into their eyes. "What were you thinking?"

"It was all Wendy's idea!" Roy announced at the first opportunity he got.

"I can't believe you did something like this. We are going to have a very long, very serious chat on the ride back home." He warned them. "But," he continued, "I am so glad that you all are safe."

Bowser stood up to leave but to his surprise Peach was right next to him, having walked over while he was lecturing his kids.

"I am so sorry." He apologized, unsure of what else to say but meaning every word. "I don't know what my children told you but they can get a little carried away."

"Don't worry," Peach insisted. "It was lovely meeting all of your kids."

"There's actually one more. He's in the car waiting for us," Bowser explained, desperately trying to usher his children out the door.

"You have eight children?"

Bowser winced at the tone of her voice.

"I guess you haven't opened any of our holiday cards," he said sharply.

"I think it's a little distasteful to put the picture of my kingdom's feared enemy up on my refrigerator," Peach bit back.

Bowser couldn't help but grin. She was still the only person who was brave enough to stand up to him.

"You're right. The bedside table is much more appropriate." He joked.

She smiled but there was a certain sadness in her eyes. It had been so long since they laughed together. But Bowser knew that it couldn't last.

"Anyway, we need to go. Thank you for looking after my kids-" Bowser began, but a chorus of shrill voices rose up above him.

"Please don't make us leave!"

"We just got here!"

"You should stay!"

"I'm hungry!"

"Everybody quiet!" Bowser yelled over the chaos, slightly embarrassed in front of Princess Peach. "We have wasted enough of Princess Peach's time. And we have plenty of food at home, Larry."

The children began to protest, but with a quick glare they all fell silent.

"Please stay," Peach urged. "Obviously a great deal has happened since we last saw each other. I did agree to a conference with the King of the Darklands after all," her voice turned syrupy. "Won't you stay and chat?"

Bowser was puzzled. He was sure that Peach wanted nothing to do with him.

"I would love to, but Morton is waiting for us in the car. Maybe another time." He offered, turning toward the door.

Peach's hand shot out, fingers outstretch as if she could pull him back.

"Wait!" She yelled, but quickly brought her hand down realizing her actions betrayed her desperation. "Please, even just for ten minutes. There's so much we should talk about."

"I'm not sure I could fit everything that's happened into ten minutes..." Bowser remarked logically, though his heart fluttered at the thought that Princess Peach would want to spend more time with him.

"Why bother?" Peach remarked cheerily. "Discussing business is much easier. Perhaps we should start now? I don't want to keep you waiting."

Bowser took a moment to consider her request. But he had to get his children home. "I'm so sorry, I really need to go." He said finally. "Is there another day that would work for you?"

Peach ignored him and launched into a monologue. "The Darklands has always had such a strong economy, while the Mushroom Kingdom has always been a blossoming metropolis. I'm positive that a trading agreement would benefit both of our kingdoms, especially when arranged sooner rather than later. I know that I-"

"Wait." Bowser interrupted her. "After everything we've been through, the only reason that you scheduled this meeting was to make a sales pitch?"

Peach's eyes went wide with the realization that Bowser had seen through her plan.

"You never wanted to reconnect with me." He said aloud. His heart dropped in his chest. He knew now that his prior assessment was correct: Peach had no interest in him.

"Well, I, uh," Peach stumbled, "I hadn't planned on merely catching up, but if that's what you want-"

"What do you want, Peach?" Bowser asked her suddenly.

She stared at him for a moment, considering what she should say.

"I think that we should discuss the matters that are most important: the future of our kingdoms." She said cleanly.

"I guess you weren't thinking about the future of your kingdom when you turned down my engagement." Bowser accused hotly.

Peach's eyes flashed with shock and then turned stormy.

"Why would I ever agree to marriage with my kidnapper?" She shot back, fury riding in her blue eyes.

Bowser flinched. Although the media used that term over and over, she had never used it to describe him before.

"Come on kids. We're leaving," he held the door open for them so that he would be the last to exit. "Goodbye, Peach."

"Please stay. I didn't mean that," she said feebly, but it was too late. Bowser shut the door with a resounding boom that echoed through the empty chamber.

* * *

Toadsworth paced up and down the dining room as Peach relayed the day's events to him over dinner. Although it was prepared by the best chefs in the kingdom, the food was barely touched and had long since grown cold on both of their plates.

"I'm sorry Toadsworth but I did the best I could. He's impossible." She finished.

He said nothing but continued to pace, adjusting his glasses anxiously from time to time.

"What else was I supposed to do?" Peach asked.

Toadsworth stopped in his tracks and stared at her gob-smacked.

"My dear, are you fully aware of the financial peril that our kingdom faces?" He asked her.

"I know that we're running out of money..." Peach began.

"We're not simply "running out" of money," he made exaggerated air quotes with his fingers, "it's worse than that. We have no money. Our kingdom is bankrupt!"

"But with the donation of the Noki kingdom, I thought-" Peach started.

"It's gone." He cut in. "We used it all. Do you have any idea how much it costs to run a kingdom?"

Peach shook her head sadly. She was ashamed that she knew so little about her country's situation.

Toadsworth calmed down slightly, realizing that Peach was upset.

"After I was appointed to manage the Mushroom Kingdom I promised your family that I would try my best to protect the country at all costs. I will stop at nothing to ensure that this kingdom survives. But now that burden falls on you, Peach." Toadsworth told her solemnly. "If we don't negotiate some sort of deal within the next year I believe the monarchy will crumble either from an uprising or foreign conquest."

"I'm sorry Toadsworth. But I won't make any agreements with the Darklands." Peach warned him firmly.

"There's still one other kingdom that could be of use." Toadsworth told her. "The Sea Side Kingdom's annual ball is coming up. It would be the perfect time to strike up a trade deal between our two nations."

Peach smiled. "I won't let you down."

"You can't." Toadsworth told her plainly. "We don't have another choice."

"I understand." She told him earnestly, trying in vain to ignore the pressure that was building around her.

* * *

Although Bowser had met with the Darklands council for only ten minutes, he was already struggling to control his anger at their propositions.

"The children would fair far better if they were with a full-time nanny or nurse," suggested the representative from the logging district. "Children ought to be raised by a mother figure."

"Perhaps they should be sent out to the countryside. There they will grow up away from the stress of politics and won't run away again." Added the representative from the mining district.

"First of all, they didn't run away." Bowser corrected. "And second of all, I would rather die than have my children taken away from me."

"Our kingdom will die if we don't change anything," urged the representative from the copper district, "the heir to the Darklands throne was in an enemy nation against our knowledge!"

"It was the Mushroom Kingdom." Bowser rolled his eyes. The Mushroom Kingdom had always been a pacifist country.

"We are worried that you are unable to be both an adequate father and adequate ruler at the same time." Specified the representative from the logging district. "So far you have proven unfit for both positions. The only logical option is to commit to one role or the other."

"I will not choose between my throne and my children." Bowser stated firmly.

"Mere words are not sufficient to reassure us." The eldest representative croaked. "You must prove that you can balance your duties."

"How?" Bowser asked defensively. "Every ruler makes mistakes and so does every parent."

"As long as the children don't run away again, we will be convinced that you are a good father," began the representative from the mining district.

"What kind of measure is that?" Bowser sputtered, interrupting him.

"But, you must also double the Darklands' territory within the next year." The mining district representative finished.

The other representatives nodded in agreement.

"That would bring our nation into war!" Bowser exclaimed.

"Our kingdom is growing. We will need more land to sustain ourselves." The representative from the copper district reasoned.

"This is our only option." The logging district representative concluded. "If you do not agree to these terms I believe it will be a unanimous vote to move the crown to another member of the Koopa monarchy."

"Can I at least have a day to think about it?" Bowser asked.

"Of course." The representative from the logging district conceded. "But by this time tomorrow the agreement must be signed and authorized with the royal seal."

One by one the representatives left the chamber, murmuring amongst themselves. Soon Bowser was all alone in the silent room, his head swimming with frenzied concern for the future.

A/N: It's so fun for me to write the dialogue between Bowser and Peach because their conversations can turn on a dime from happiness to jealousy to disappointment and resentment. I really hope you like this chapter. Thank you so much for reading, and especially for commenting or following/favoriting this story. I really appreciate it! I hope that you have a great week! Much love, Guardian.


	7. Invitation

After the first twenty seconds in the car Bowser instantly regretted his decision to bring his children along with him to the Sea Side Kingdom Ball.

"Why do we have to go to this again?" Roy complained from the back seat.

"Because I'm trying to get the Sea Side Kingdom to give us some of their resources. If they see how miserable you monkeys are, then maybe they'll agree to it." Bowser answered from the driver seat as he cranked up the music on the old radio.

Usually when the entire family traveled together they took the Clown Car but since one of the doors had stopped closing all the way the car was in the machine shop. The only other vehicle that could fit all of them was an old brown van that Bowser's grandma had given him. Many of her bumper stickers were still on the back, including "driving under the influence of angels," "when the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace" and "honk if you love your grandkids."

"Can we listen to the Silly Songs CD?" Junior asked.

Everyone groaned.

"I will literally throw myself out the window if I hear it." Wendy vowed.

"Now we have to play it," Roy begged.

"Driver picks the music," Bowser told them. "We're sticking with classic rock."

"Can we stop for ice cream on the way?" Larry asked.

"I don't think so. Morton got sick last time and we are not going through that again." Bowser answered with a shudder.

Roy mumbled something under his breath which Bowser chose to ignore.

"I want everyone on their best behavior at this thing," he warned his children, "use your manners and be respectful."

"Do we have to eat the food even if it's gross?" Iggy asked concernedly.

"The food won't be gross," Bowser told them, although he wasn't certain.

In the distance a car honked at them. Bowser internally cursed the van and the bumper stickers.

"I'm bored," Roy complained.

"How much longer is this going to take?" Iggy asked.

"A long time." Bowser told them bitterly. "If you're bored you can play a road trip game to pass the time." He offered.

"Can we play I Spy?" Junior asked eagerly.

"I spy with my little eye something red." Roy began.

"Dad's hair?" Junior guessed.

"Nope."

"That car?" Iggy pointed to a red pickup truck.

"No."

"The stop sign?" Larry asked.

"No."

"This is too hard! I give up!" Junior cried.

"It's Wendy's face whenever she talks to Stephen Kerringer!" Roy laughed spitefully.

"Shut up Roy!" Wendy slapped her brother on the arm. Her face was flushed with embarrassment.

Bowser had only half been paying attention to the conversation between his kids but suddenly his interest was peaked.

"Who is Stephen Kerringer?" He pried.

"No one." Wendy brooded.

"He's two years older than Wendy. He has pierced ears and he drives a motorcycle." Roy informed them.

"Stop talking!" Wendy screamed and hit her brother harder. Roy rubbed his arm in pain.

In the distance another car honked at the brown van as it drove by.

"So do you like this boy?" Bowser smiled watching Wendy squirm in the rearview mirror.

"We are just friends." Her face was bright with embarrassment. "Can we please talk about something else?"

"I can tell a knock knock joke!" Morton suggested obliviously. "Knock knock."

"Who's there?" Ludwig answered in an attempt to save Wendy.

"Boo."

"Boo who?"

Morton's face went blank. "Um, uh... I don't remember the last part."

"Don't cry, it's just a joke." Bowser finished for him.

"I can tell another one." Morton offered.

"Please don't." Iggy and Lemmy said in unison.

"Let's all just sit in silence for a little bit." Bowser suggested.

The car went quiet for a total of four seconds.

"Look! A moo moo!" Morton announced at the top of his lungs, pointing to the creatures grazing in a field alongside the road.

Bowser was so startled by his outburst that he almost swerved into oncoming traffic. He frantically spun the wheel to correct the car. Another driver honked at them, either because they loved their grandkids or because they didn't want a collision.

"That was awesome! Let's do it again!" Larry laughed.

"It's fun when you drive crazy," Junior added.

"Look! Another moo moo!" Morton cried.

"NO MORE YELLING IN THE CAR!" Bowser roared, silencing his children.

He looked at the digital clock on the dashboard. They still had two more hours of travel ahead of them. Internally, Bowser screamed.

* * *

Princess Peach groaned in the backseat of one of the Mushroom Kingdom's many sleek black limousines. With nearly 30 different nations invited to the Sea Side Kingdom ball, the traffic was always a nightmare. After waiting close to an hour Peach was still too far down the line of cars to see the front gates. She ran her fingers through her thick blonde hair and sighed. Her stomach grumbled- it had been a while since she last ate. Peach hoped that there would be a banquet waiting for her when she finally entered the castle.

In the meantime, she chewed a breath mint and reapplied her mascara in the little makeup mirror that swung down from the car's ceiling. Peach wanted to look perfect for her meeting with the king and queen. She had spent most of the morning styling her hair and choosing her outfit. After much consultation with her cousin Daisy, Peach decided to wear an elegant petal-pink dress with slender blue drop earrings and flattering arm-length gloves. Unfortunately, it appeared that it would be at least another hour before anyone could admire her fashion sense.

Nearly an hour and a half later, the limousine pulled up to the entrance of the Sea Side castle. Peach stepped out of the car and was shocked by the sweeping enormity of the building. She felt both jealous and intimidated at the same time, yet she steeled herself and strutted confidently up to the gatekeeper who was registering the guests.

"Good afternoon, your highness," the woman greeted her politely.

"Good afternoon. I am Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom," Peach revealed.

The woman typed something onto a screen. Her lips tightened into a concerned frown.

"Can you spell it for me?" She asked.

"M-U-S-H-R-O-O-M," Peach replied confidently. "It's just like the vegetable."

The woman tapped on the screen again.

"Is there another name that your invitation could have been addressed to?" She asked.

Peach's heart beat faster in her chest.

"Try Toadsworth. T-O-A-D-S-W-O-R-T-H." She replied.

The gatekeeper diligently typed the letters on the keypad.

"I'm sorry, we don't have a reservation under that name." She informed Peach.

"There must be some mistake," Peach said frantically, "royalty from the Mushroom Kingdom have attended the annual Sea Side Ball since it began nearly 30 years ago."

"Our guest list is final. I'm very sorry, I can call my supervisor if you would like." The woman offered.

"Yes, that would be much appreciated." Peach struggled to keep her composure.

"Perfect. Would you mind waiting here until my supervisor is able to attend to you?" The gatekeeper asked.

"No not at all." Peach replied.

She stepped aside and watched the gatekeeper check-in the next guest without any problems. And the next guest after that, and the one after that. Peach ran her fingers through her hair while her brain ran through the possible explanations for the mistake. Did Toadsworth forget to RSVP for the event? Was this a prank? Had someone else registered under her name on accident? The sight of the supervisor pulled Peach out of her internal dialogue.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty." The woman smiled warmly and curtsied.

"Thank you," Peach replied automatically.

"Give me a second to pull up the official list." She explained while she typed into another screen.

"I am certain that the Mushroom Kingdom is invited." Peach said with false confidence.

The woman's eyes scanned the screen with deep concentration. After a few moments she looked at Peach with pity in her gaze.

"We do not have your kingdom on our guest list this year." She stated firmly.

"Why am I not on the list?" Peach asked reactively.

"Your majesty, I don't send the invitations. Those decisions are made by the king and queen. I'm very sorry. Would you like me to call you a cab?" The supervisor's eyes hardened slightly.

"May I speak with them? There must have been a mistake." Peach urged.

"I'm sorry, the king and queen are unavailable for conferences at this time. You could write them a formal letter when you return to your castle." The woman's tone was flat and brittle.

"You do not understand. I _must_ attend this event. The Mushroom Kingdom necessitates it!" Peach spiraled.

"Don't worry, she's with us." A deep voice announced from behind her.

Peach whirled around to see Bowser and all of his children standing before her. Her jaw dropped in surprise.

"Is this true?" The supervisor asked.

Peach's breath caught in her throat. She glanced back from the supervisor to Bowser. She wished that she had more time to consider her options, but in that moment she knew she had to put her kingdom's future above her own discomfort.

"Yes." Peach answered, staring into Bowser's amber eyes and wordlessly expressing her gratitude.

"Wonderful." The supervisor answered, typing on her screen.

"I'm King Bowser Koopa of the Darklands, along with my eight children and my plus one, Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom." Bowser told her.

"Excellent. You are all registered. Welcome to the Sea Side Kingdom, I hope you have a pleasant stay and enjoy our ball." The woman gave a final smile as Peach walked past.

A/N: I'm so so so sorry that this is late! Thank you so much for your patience, I hope that this chapter was worth the wait. Bowser's grandma's van is in fact a real car that my grandmother had when I was growing up, including the bumper stickers. Thank you so much for reading and especially for commenting, following and favoriting this story! I really appreciate it, it means a lot to me. I hope that you have a stupendous week! Much love, Guardian.


	8. Woven

Bowser could barely concentrate during the entirety of the tour through the Sea Side castle. His mind was churning with both old memories and new concerns for the future. Although he was still irritated with Peach from the last time they saw each other, he knew that nothing could change the fact that he would always adore her. And he hated himself for it.

"The Shell Suite has been prepared for your comfortable stay, which is up those stairs and down the hall to the left. Your luggage has already been placed there, but if you find that you need amenities the Sea Side staff is more than happy to oblige your requests." The tour guide explained as they walked through the corridors towards the banquet hall.

Bowser noticed that Peach had avoided his gaze since they entered through the castle doors. Although she had never been one to hide her emotions, Peach was carefully keeping herself guarded.

"Can we request to have a swimming pool filled with hot fudge?" Larry asked.

"No." Bowser chided before the tour guide could respond.

Peach smiled slightly but then returned to her neutral demeanor.

"Beyond that archway and to the right are the famous fourteen flights of stairs that lead to the top of the castle lighthouse." The tour guide noted.

"Only fourteen?" Roy asked in mock-seriousness.

"If you desire to climb more I can show you where all the stairs in the castle are located." The guide replied, missing the joke. "Anyway," he continued as they ambled farther down the corridor, "the banquet hall is just through these doors. It has been my pleasure showcasing our magnificent palace this evening. I hope you enjoy your stay at the Sea Side Kingdom!"

A chorus of "thank you" arose from Bowser's children as they scampered into the dining room. Once inside, Bowser delighted to see Peach's expression of utter amazement at the gorgeous ice sculptures and enchanting fountains all around them. Enormous windows lined the perimeter, allowing guests to get a breathtaking view of the ocean that crashed below them. A crystalline chandelier glittered over their heads, its strands of diamonds resembling jellyfish tentacles. Even the Koopalings stopped momentarily to take in the room.

"Princess Peach?" A high-pitched voice interrupted, shattering the moment.

Bowser turned to see a very tall and slender woman with lavender hair approaching them.

"Lila Thorton!" Peach turned to see her old friend from modeling school. "How are you?" She asked excitedly.

Bowser waited a few minutes while Peach and Lila chatted. He half expected Peach to make introductions, but she made no effort to include him in the conversation. Realizing that Peach would rather socialize with her friends than spend her time with him and his children, Bowser turned away and walked to an empty table with his kids.

"Dad, why did you tell the guard that Princess Peach was with us?" Junior asked once they were out of earshot.

"Does she have to hang out with us for the whole trip?" Roy groaned.

Bowser took a second to consider his answer.

"Princess Peach is an old friend of mine," he began. "Even though she and I have had our differences, I'm still her friend and when we see our friends in need it is our job to help them." Bowser explained. "But we probably won't be seeing much of her during our trip. She has lots of other friends here who she wants to spend time with."

"Good." Roy answered. "She's kind of annoying."

Bowser's temper flared. "I never want to hear you say that again, and if you do you will wish that you hadn't." He threatened.

The Koopalings fell eerily quiet for a few moments before the silence was interrupted by the arrival of their server.

"Good afternoon, your Majesties." The server began. "Are there any drinks besides water that I can start you off with this evening?"

"Yes," Bowser answered before his children could yell over each other. "We will have three chocolate milks, two regular milks, one root beer, one sparkling lemonade, one unsweetened iced tea and one chocolate milkshake." He finished, ordering each child's usual favorite.

The server nodded and walked briskly towards the kitchen to put in their orders.

"A chocolate milkshake isn't really a drink," Wendy criticized.

"And a sparkling lemonade isn't really that grown-up." Bowser shot back at her, knowing that Wendy wanted to seem more mature and sophisticated than her other siblings.

"Do they have grilled cheese sandwiches here?" Morton asked.

"I'm sure that the chefs can make it for you." Bowser answered.

"Can I order the caramel chocolate cake for dinner? Please?" Larry begged.

"No, you have to have a real dinner before you have dessert," Bowser told him.

"But you're having dessert before dinner!" Larry complained.

"A milkshake is a perfectly acceptable drink." Bowser assured him.

A chorus of dissent rose up from the children seated before him.

Bowser laughed and shook his head. "You drink a milkshake, so therefore it is a beverage. And if it is a beverage, it is not technically dessert."

"There are definitely some flaws in that logic," a voice interrupted from behind him.

Bowser turned to see Princess Peach standing in front of him.

"Do you have room for one more?" She asked.

His heart jumped in his chest.

"I thought you wanted to eat with your model friend." Bowser responded warily.

"She already ate." Peach explained.

His heart fell knowing that Peach was only dining with them out of convenience. But at least he would get to spend more time with her.

"Of course we have room," Bowser obliged, pulling up a nearby chair. "We've already ordered drinks but we are still waiting to order dinner."

"Perfect." Peach smiled politely and sat down at the table beside him.

"Do you think a milkshake is a beverage or a dessert?" Wendy asked her.

Peach paused for a moment to think.

"I would say that it is both. Technically one does "drink" a milkshake, but the components that make up a milkshake are undeniably dessert items." She answered seriously.

"See?" Wendy stared accusingly at Bowser.

"Fine. But that won't stop me from ordering a true dessert after dinner." Bowser joked.

Peach rolled her eyes, but smiled slightly.

The server returned carrying all the drinks on two trays. He distributed the beverages and then stopped to take the rest of their dinner orders. Finally he got to the end of the table where Bowser and Peach were sitting.

"May I please have the seafood bisque?" Peach asked.

"Of course you may, your Highness. Would you like bread with that?" The server clarified.

"Yes please."

"And for you, your Majesty?" The server turned to Bowser.

For a split second he was plagued by indecision.

"The seafood here is amazing," Peach whispered to him.

"I will have the steak and lobster duo." Bowser decided. "Thank you for your recommendation," he said, turning to Peach once the server had left.

"You are most welcome." She replied formally. Her eyes were fixed on the napkin which she adjusted in her lap.

"What part of the ball are you most looking forward to?" Bowser asked after an uncomfortably long silence.

"I am most excited to catch up with the King and Queen," Peach forced a smile. "There's so much I want to talk with them about."

"I bet." Bowser responded bitterly. He tried to ignore the pain he felt from the recollection of his previous conversation with Peach when he retrieved his children from the Mushroom Kingdom.

Peach's eyes went wide with understanding.

"Oh, um, catching up with you is very important as well!" She tried to cover up her blunder. "How lucky that now we will have plenty of time to share with each other."

"Hey Princess Peach! Watch this!" Morton interrupted, blowing bubbles in his chocolate milk.

"Although that is very impressive Morton, because this banquet hall is very fancy it is probably best to simply sip your milk." Peach gently corrected him.

"You remembered my name?" He asked.

"Of course," Peach smiled. "I know all of your names." One by one she recited each child's name perfectly.

Bowser couldn't help but grin.

"That's very impressive, Peachy." He accidentally used his old nickname for her. He looked at her concernedly, gauging her reaction.

"Thank you." She smirked, unbothered by the pet-name. "I would be ashamed to have forgotten the names of your delightful children."

Bowser's spirits soared.

"You should see them around bedtime- then they're not quite as delightful." He joked.

"Hey!" Roy, Larry and Morton complained in unison.

"That's fair." Wendy nodded, agreeing with Bowser.

Peach laughed, her voice high and clear. Automatically, Bowser's heart beat faster in his chest. He wished that he could capture the moment and save it forever. Watching Princess Peach laugh beside him surrounded by his kids was nearly too good to be true. Once again Bowser felt a familiar sweep of infatuation wash over him, and he knew that he was falling for her all over again.

A/N: I'm sorry that I haven't been able to update as frequently as in the past, but thank you for all the kind, wonderful and truly delightful comments in the meantime! They really mean a lot to me, and I am so grateful and humbled by the feedback that I receive. Also a special thank you for the follows/favorites. I am so glad that you enjoy this story! Until next time, I hope that you have a spectacular week. Much love, Guardian.


	9. Twice

Although Peach was originally dreading dining with Bowser and his children, the meal had not gone as horribly as she anticipated. His kids were sometimes unruly, but each was funny and sweet and unique in their own way that Peach found herself laughing at ease with them. Bowser was nearly the same as he had been when she knew him, but he had a different camber to him that Peach couldn't quite name. She felt new hope that she would be able to get through the rest of the trip without an issue. But regardless of her new lodging situation Peach focused herself on finding a chance to talk with the King and Queen at the earliest available opportunity. She would not let her kingdom down.

"Do you want to try some of this?" Bowser asked, pulling Peach from her thoughts.

"I'm alright, thank you." She politely declined. Peach was too full from the seafood bisque to order a dessert, although Bowser and his children had no problem doing so.

"Just one bite?" He slid the piece of caramel chocolate cake closer to her.

"It's really good!" Larry said between mouthfuls of his own piece.

"Another time." Peach said thoughtlessly. She cringed realizing that Bowser would definitely hold her to her word.

"Are you scared of loud noises?" Morton asked suddenly.

"I don't think so," Peach answered hesitantly. "Why do you ask?"

"You don't want to know what goes on inside his brain." Roy commented. "Even Morton doesn't fully know."

"There's a firework show tonight." Morton explained. "I used to be scared of them because they are loud, but now I cover my ears."

"You should cover your ears all the time. It will keep your brains from falling out." Roy said seriously.

Morton whole-heartedly believed him and put his hands over his ears.

"You don't need to do that, Morton." Bowser said to him.

Morton couldn't hear him.

"You don't need to do that, Morton." Bowser repeated louder.

Morton didn't move.

Wendy reached over and pulled his hands down.

"Roy is just being mean, Morton. You don't need to do that." Bowser explained.

"I know." Morton conceded. "I just didn't want to hear Roy's voice anymore."

The table erupted in laugher until it was interrupted by an announcement coming through the speakers.

"Your royal Highnesses," the voice boomed, "the firework show will be starting in ten minutes. Please walk to the Pavilion, it offers the best vantage-point for the show. Thank you, and enjoy your stay at the Sea Side Kingdom."

Wendy and Bowser Junior hurriedly finished their dessert and then the whole group joined the crowd of people leaving the banquet hall. Peach avoided making eye-contact with a few of the familiar faces for fear that they would see her with Bowser and his family. She didn't want any false rumors to start, although that would be nearly impossible since Lila Thornton had spotted her.

Up ahead Peach strained her neck to see the King and Queen of the Sea Side Kingdom standing in front of the large glass doors that led to the Pavilion. They were smiling and shaking the hands of the guests that entered through. Peach's mind raced to come up with what she would say to them. It would be the perfect opportunity to ask for a private consultation.

"Hey Dad!" Junior called out. "I don't see Larry."

"What?" Bowser spun around and stopped to frantically count the heads of the children before him. There were only seven.

"Did any of you see Larry walking away?" Bowser asked.

None of the other Koopalings had seen him.

The crowd flowed around them like a river rushing past a stone lodged in its bank. If Larry had gotten carried along by the current of people there was no telling where he could be.

Peach could see the genuine panic in Bowser's eyes although he forced himself to remain composed.

"Larry has to be around here somewhere," he assured them. "Wendy, tell one of the staff members to spread the word to keep an eye out for him. Roy and Ludwig check the bathrooms to see if he's in there. The rest of you stay with me and call out his name."

Obediently the Koopalings followed Bowser's orders.

"I'm sure that we'll find him." Peach soothed, trying to make herself useful.

"I hope so. Kids wander off, it happens. But he's _my_ kid." Bowser explained. "I couldn't bear to lose him."

The group began to yell out Larry's name over and over. The herd of guests had moved past them, leaving them alone in the hallway. They continued to call his name for several minutes before Roy and Ludwig returned with Larry in tow.

"He was in the bathroom." Roy explained.

"I'm sorry," Larry apologized. "I didn't mean to be gone so long. But they have fancy soap and lotion and stuff in there and I wanted to smell all of it. I'm sorry."

"You have to tell me where you're going." Bowser urged. "In crowded places its easy to get lost. No matter what, I need to know where all of you are. Ask me before you go anywhere, and when you leave make sure you take a buddy with you. Do you understand?"

All of the Koopalings nodded.

"Does Princess Peach have to tell you where she's going too?" Morton asked.

"Princess Peach is a grown-up and she can do whatever she wants." Bowser answered.

"I wish I was a grown-up." Morton whispered bitterly under his breath.

They walked down the rest of the hallway in silence. The crowd was already inside the Pavilion, and to Peach's dismay the King and Queen were no longer outside of the doors waiting to welcome them in. She had missed her opportunity.

They walked through the entryway and down the path that led to the Pavilion. It was a sprawling open-aired building with a huge hand-blown glass ceiling that was made to look like a cresting wave. They squeezed in among the crowd and stared up at the night sky. The stars seemed to ripple above them as if they were looking at them from under the surface of the water.

"Five. Four. Three. Two. One!" The crowd counted down.

Nearly instantaneously the black sky came alive with an explosion of color which bled and melted and swirled above them. Sea-green and pure turquoise swum together to create an ocean over their heads, crashing and rolling like real waves.

Peach could barely look away from the display, but out of the corner of her eye she noticed the Queen conversing discreetly with one of the staff members across the Pavilion. She knew that it would be rude to interrupt, but she had no other choice. Bravely Peach strutted out towards the monarch. Yet suddenly her body was wrenched back as Bowser grasped her shoulder.

"Where are you going?" He asked, his amber eyes wide with concern.

"I thought you said that I was a grown-up and can do whatever I want," Peach shrugged his hand off of her shoulder and turned to leave.

"Aren't you enjoying the firework show?" He asked again.

"It's beautiful, but I need to go." Peach answered hurriedly, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"Can it wait? I really don't want you to miss this." Bowser pleaded, stalling for time.

"I will be back in a minute." Peach assured him. But when she turned to walk towards the Queen, the monarch was gone. She had already finished her conversation with the staff member and returned to the royal viewing area. Peach had missed her chance once again.

"It's too late," Peach said sadly.

"I'm glad you won't miss the show." Bowser tried to hide his smile.

Peach turned away from him and stared up at the dazzling eruption of color beyond the glass ceiling. Her brain was flooded with a menagerie of emotions and old memories. Bowser had always made her life difficult, and now he continued to do so. Peach was frustrated, and for an instant she felt exactly like a child again when she would cry into her pillow when she didn't get her way. Although she felt like screaming, she hardened herself and ignored the feeling of hopelessness that piled around her.

All at once the show ended in a smattering of light blue sparkles that fell across the night sky as gently as ocean spray in the wind. The crowd erupted with applause before they began to filter out of the Pavilion toward the ballroom where a cocktail party was beginning. Peach couldn't help but yawn; the day had taken a toll on her and left her physically exhausted.

"I'm tired too." Bowser noticed her sleepiness. "The kids and I certainly need some rest, but you can stay out later if you want."

"I don't think I can keep my eyes open that long," Peach admitted.

"Let's head back to the Shell Suite then." He turned to leave the Pavilion with the Koopalings following close behind at his heels.

Peach walked alongside him in silence thinking of the opportunities that she had missed. Although she wished that the day had gone differently, she hoped that there would be other chances in the future for her to plead with the King and Queen on her kingdom's behalf. Peach tried to be optimistic by convincing herself the situation would seem better after a long rest.

Suddenly Peach realized that they had never worked out a sleeping arrangement. Her stomach dropped as she considered who she should choose to share a bed with.

A/N: Thank you so very much for your patience! I am embarrassed by how long its been since my last update. Thank you so much for reading, commenting, following and favoriting this story! I really appreciate it. I hope that you have a great week! Much love, Guardian


	10. Opaque

Peach surveyed the Shell Suite warily. The charming ocean-themed décor starkly contrasted with the ominous feeling she had in her stomach. Five bedrooms connected to one communal hall with a bathroom on each side of the walkway. The Koopalings raced from room to room with fresh energy, examining them all to determine which one was the best.

"Can I share a room with Ludwig?" Roy asked Bowser.

"No, _I_ wanted to share with him!" Morton interjected.

"Roy and Morton, you two are rooming together." Bowser told them to their horror.

"That's not fair!" Roy argued.

"I'll never be able to sleep with all of his snoring!" Morton cried.

"Everybody listen up!" Bowser called to the others who were jumping on the bed. "These are the room pairings for tonight: Roy and Morton, Larry and Ludwig, Iggy and Lemmy, and Wendy and Junior."

Peach's eyes flashed, realizing who was left out.

"Bowser, I don't think I feel comfortable-"

"But Dad, you said that I would be with you because I get scared sleeping in new places." Junior protested, interrupting Princess Peach.

Bowser opened his mouth to argue, but Peach cut in before he could start.

"Junior needs to room with you." Peach said emphatically, her voice strung taught.

"I'm fine sharing with Princess Peach." Wendy offered.

After a few seconds of consideration, Bowser acquiesced.

"Alright fine. Junior you'll be with me, Peach will go with Wendy."

Peach breathed a small sigh of relief as she followed Wendy into the bedroom and closed the door.

"I honestly can't believe I'm having a sleepover with Princess Peach." Wendy gushed. "We can have pillow fights and stay up late talking, or maybe we can even make some prank phone calls!"

"That sounds very fun, but I think we should get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow." Peach gently declined.

"True. As you said in your interview with TeenStar magazine, the best skincare secret is a full eight hours of sleep." Wendy agreed as she got under the covers, having already changed into her pajamas.

Peach went to the bathroom to slip into her pink silk robe that she wore to bed. When she returned Wendy was already dozing. Peach climbed onto the bed and closed her eyes. Even though she was exhausted she still couldn't seem to fall asleep. Her head was spinning with worries for the future.

* * *

As quietly as she could, Princess Peach slipped out of the Shell Suite early the next morning and headed towards the banquet hall where the servants were still setting up the room for breakfast.

"Excuse me," Princess Peach said, pulling one of the workers aside. "Would you be able to take a message to the King and Queen for me?"

"Certainly." The servant nodded.

"Can you notify the King and Queen that Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom would like a private consultation with them? It's urgent." Peach informed, trying to keep her voice calm and polite.

"Of course, I will leave right away." The servant turned away to alert the Sea Side Kingdom nobility.

Peach left the banquet hall to return to the Shell Suite, knowing that the King and Queen would summon her when they were ready. She hoped that they would be available since it was so early in the morning.

Bowser was waiting by the door when she arrived.

"What are you doing up so early?" He asked in a whisper once she was through the door.

"I could ask you the same question." Peach shot back quietly, irritated that her absence hadn't gone unnoticed.

"I heard someone leave and wanted to make sure it wasn't Iggy- sometimes he sleepwalks." Bowser told her.

"Don't worry, I am very much awake." Peach assured him. She tried to tread past him to her room, but he blocked her path.

"Is everything alright?" He asked. "You seem tense."

"I am fine." Peach replied with a forced smile.

"Good. I just want to make sure that you're ok."

"Thank you, but you don't need to do that." Peach corrected him.

"I know I don't need to. But I want to. I care about your wellbeing." Bowser admitted.

Peach bit back a harsh response. "Thank you." She said curtly instead. "I am going back to my room now." Peach announced, hoping that Bowser would take a hint.

"Do you want to go on a walk with me? It's so early and we have nothing else to do." He suggested.

"No, thank you." Peach declined. "I'm going to try to go back to sleep."

Bowser's face fell slightly, though he tried to hide it.

"Maybe later?" He asked.

"If we have time-" Peach said carefully.

Suddenly she was interrupted by a soft knocking at the door.

Bowser opened it to see a servant standing there.

"Good morning, your Majesty. The King and Queen have requested Princess Peach's presence in the Bayview Chamber."

"I'll meet you at the banquet hall for breakfast, Bowser." Peach told him as she followed the servant out of the room.

To Peach's relief he didn't try to tag along. Each step forward was filled with nervous anticipation as she grew closer and closer to unraveling the strange turn of events that led to her unfortunate predicament.

* * *

Bowser leapt up from the table when he noticed Peach making her way through the crowded dining area to sit with him. He helped her get settled into her chair and then sat back down beside her.

"The kids are going to have a sandcastle contest after breakfast to see who can make the tallest one. I told them that you and I would be the judges," he told her excitedly.

"That sounds nice." Peach responded automatically, though her voice sounded distant.

"And then afterward maybe we can go on that walk that we talked about this morning," he suggested. Bowser hoped that she would agree to it.

"Sure." Peach's crystalline blue eyes lacked their usual spark, but Bowser was too excited to notice their dampened expression.

His mouth automatically broke into a grin at her response.

"Great. I guess we're certainly sea-zing the day!" He joked.

"You make me sick." Roy pretended to gag dramatically across from him at the table.

"Are you feeling a little... crabby?" Wendy asked. Roy closed his eyes and lolled his tongue out of his mouth as if he was dying from his sister's joke.

Bowser looked over at Peach, expecting to see her laughing with the rest of the group. Instead her face looked vacant.

"We ordered waffles for breakfast." He told her, hoping that food would lift her spirits. "I made sure to ask for fruit with yours. I remembered that you like bananas and blueberries."

"Thank you." Peach gave a small smile of appreciation.

"It's no problem." Bowser said cordially, relieved to see the glimmer of her old self. Without thinking he placed his hand on Peach's arm.

Her eyes instantly sparked alive, though the gaze she fixed him with was loaded with malice. She yanked her arm out from under his hand with lightning speed.

"Don't touch me." She hissed softly under her breath too quietly for his children to notice.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Bowser began to apologize.

"I need to go." Peach pulled her chair out from the table and turned to walk away.

Bowser sprang to his feet.

"Peach, I wasn't trying to-"

"Please. I need to be alone right now." She raised her voice slightly, and he knew there was no arguing with her. Peach stormed off brusquely, anger in every step.

Bowser turned back to the table where his children were staring at him in shock.

"What is she so upset about Dad?" Junior asked.

Bowser was at a loss for words. Even though he was surrounded by his children he had never felt so alone.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading this chapter! I'm so sorry I've made a habit of taking a while to update. I really appreciate all of the feedback I receive on this story, it honestly makes my day. I hope that you have a great rest of your week! Much love, Guardian.


	11. Crumble

Peach's fingers shook slightly as she gripped the tea cup that had been set in front of her. She took a small swallow of the beverage but it did little to calm her nerves. Peach knew that everything depended on this meeting with the King and Queen. Silently she prayed that they would be sympathetic to her cause after the invitation mishap and willing to help the Mushroom Kingdom. There was no other choice but to beg for their aid.

Suddenly the door to the conference room opened, but Peach was disappointed to see an unfamiliar face walk into the room.

"Thank you for your patience, Your Majesty." The man addressed her. He was clothed in the deep royal blue and turquoise of the Sea Side Kingdom, although he didn't have the customary pins held by royalty and high-ranking military personnel. "My name is Sir Roberto Lumis, and I am one of the head advisors to the King and Queen. Unfortunately, they are unavailable as they are coordinating the ball that will take place this evening. I will be speaking on their behalf."

Peach tried to keep the shock out of her voice. "That's fine." She said, appearing unbothered. "I would like to discuss the mishap that occurred when I arrived at the ball. According to the gatekeeper, the Mushroom Kingdom was not included on the guest list."

Sir Roberto nodded as if he had anticipated what she was going to say. He folded his hands together before he spoke, choosing his words carefully.

"Your Highness, the Mushroom Kingdom has experienced some, er, unpredictable changes, am I correct?"

"Yes." Peach wasn't sure if it was safe to agree.

"There has been much speculation within the imperial community that such unpredictability can prove beneficial. Take the Darklands, for instance. Thirty years ago no one would have guessed that such a kingdom would grow into the powerful nation that it is today." Sir Roberto smiled, his eyes like a shark. "Yet on the other hand, unpredictability can lead to a kingdom's downfall."

Peach's stomach dropped.

"However, the worst thing about unpredictability," Sir Roberto continued, "is that it often brings other kingdoms down with it. The number of peasants within the Noki Kingdom has only risen since they generously donated a quarter of their yearly savings to the Mushroom Kingdom. Now, in the midst of a drought, they find themselves with precious little to support their nation."

"The Mushroom Kingdom was not responsible for the heatwave!" Peach argued.

"Yet when the drought came they found their money wasted on an unpredictable kingdom." Sir Roberto corrected her. "Further," he added, "the Mushroom Kingdom's reputation has become equally unpredictable. A once peaceful nation has become swarmed with anarchists, freshly angered after having been distracted by a kidnapped princess for so many years. It is this-"

"I assure you, I am doing everything I can for my people," Peach interrupted, struggling to control her temper.

"It is this," Sir Roberto continued, "kind of unpredictability which makes the Mushroom Kingdom dangerous. And thus, for the first time in 30 years, the nobility from the Mushroom Kingdom have not been included in our guest list."

"I see." She responded tersely. "Should I vacate the premises?"

"That's not necessary." Sir Roberto's eyes softened slightly, though his voice remained steely. "Despite the best efforts of the King and Queen you still managed to attend the event. I applaud your resiliency, Princess Peach. It is perhaps the only thing that can save the Mushroom Kingdom."

Peach was stunned by his statement.

"Are there any other questions that I can answer for you, Your Majesty?" He asked.

"No, thank you for your time." Her voice sounded thin and strained.

"It has been a pleasure." Sir Roberto said graciously. "Once again, I apologize that the King and Queen were unable to attend this meeting personally, but I must remind you that they will join our guests at the ball tonight. With a bit of _resiliency_ , you may get a chance to speak with them."

"Thank you." Peach stood up from her chair and walked out of the room, her head reeling and her heart heavy.

* * *

Bowser's years of expertise at dealing with an angry Princess Peach had taught him that interrupting her "alone time" would only make her angrier. But he desperately wanted to talk to her and make things right again. Her waffles grew cold and soggy as they waited for her return. She usually didn't stay mad for long, but by the time breakfast was over she hadn't come back. Although internally Bowser was panicking, he made sure to seem calm and relaxed around his children.

"We've been waiting for nearly thirty minutes," Roy complained. "Can we just leave without her? It's so boring sitting here with nothing to do."

"What about our sandcastle contest?" Morton asked. "Will we still have it with only one judge?"

Bowser knew that his children's patience was nearly spent. Although he would have wanted to wait longer for Princess Peach to return, he didn't want to risk any temper tantrums.

"Let's go to the beach." He announced. "You all will have to work extra hard to impress me since there will only be one judge. I hope you bring your "A" game!"

The Koopalings eyes lit up with excitement and their spirits were lifted. Together the family left the dining room and walked out of the castle into the gardens. They followed the gravel pathway that led down to the beach front. Gentle waves rolled upon the sandy shore and the sunlight glittered on the water. A steady breeze blew through the air, and several people were flying colorful kites in the wind. At the end of the gravel path lay a small shed which contained folding chairs, beach umbrellas, plastic buckets and shovels, all available for guests of the Sea Side Kingdom. Bowser grabbed the necessary materials and began handing each of his children a bucket and shovel.

"Here are the rules," he said as he passed the supplies around. "You can use anything that you find on the beach, as well as your buckets and shovels, to make your sandcastles. I will be judging you on structural integrity, creativity and "wow factor." You have thirty minutes to make your castle. Ready?"

All at once the Koopalings began to talk over each other, each one asking overly-specific theoretical questions.

"GO!" Bowser shouted, ignoring them.

They raced forward, each frantically shoveling sand into their bucket. Bowser smiled at their efforts, momentarily forgetting the events that had occurred earlier that morning. As most of his kids finished creating their first tower, he noticed a blonde figure walking down the gravel path toward them. His heart raced- he knew it was Princess Peach!

She approached him shyly, her eyes not meeting his.

"Thank you," she said. "I just needed some time alone. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to stay for breakfast."

"And I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, I didn't mean to upset you." Bowser told her earnestly.

Peach smiled sadly, though it was almost too quick to catch. "I overreacted. You didn't really upset me, I was acting out of anger toward an unrelated situation."

"You can always talk to me if you want," Bowser offered, relieved that she wasn't truly mad at him. "A problem shared is a problem halved."

"Thank you." Peach said, though she didn't say more.

Together they watched the Koopalings put the finishing touches on their sandcastles. They had decorated them with small pebbles, pieces of shells, seaweed, and, in Morton's case, a wallet that had been hidden under a beach towel while someone was swimming.

"Five." Bowser began the countdown to the end of the contest. "Four. Three. Two. One!"

Although the time had run out, the children continued to work on their castles in a frenzy of desperation.

"Everybody stop!" Bowser yelled. The Koopalings backed away sheepishly with their hands above their heads.

Peach and Bowser walked down the line inspecting each one of the castles and asking questions to the architects occasionally. Finally, after reviewing every sandcastle, they huddled together to discuss the winner in low voices.

"Definitely Morton." Bowser started.

"No! We can't condone stealing!" Peach argued, though her eyes twinkled. "What about Larry's?"

"It just doesn't have the "wow factor." He shook his head.

"Then Ludwig's. His is the most impressive architecturally." She reasoned. Suddenly Peach's eyes widened. "What are you doing?" She called out in horror.

Bowser spun around to see Roy stomping on what remained of Ludwig's castle. The other Koopalings were squabbling with each other over the sandy remains of other fallen towers and in less than a minute all of the sandcastles were obliterated.

"Why did you do that, Roy?" Bowser asked angrily.

"You said that you were going to judge us on the castle's structural integrity. Wendy called me a mean name, so I decided to test how structurally sound her castle was..."

"It wasn't." Morton reported.

"And then Wendy pushed me-"

"I did not!" Wendy argued.

"She did!" Roy shot back. "She pushed me into Lemmy's castle, and then Morton decided to join in and he crushed Iggy's. So I stomped on Morton's to get revenge for Iggy's and then Wendy destroyed mine. That's when I decided that if I couldn't win then no one could, so I took out the others."

"You are disqualified from the competition." Bowser frowned in disappointment.

Roy nodded in agreement.

"It's not winning that's really important." He said philosophically. "What's really important is not losing. And to do that, sometimes you have to do whatever it takes."

Bowser glanced over at Peach to see her reaction to Roy's flippant attitude. But instead of disgust, new inspiration seemed to settle on Peach's face, as if she had just come to a fresh realization. For the first time that day, her countenance was steady and determined, her mind clear and her hope swelling.

A/N: I know it's been a while! I'm so sorry to have been gone so long, my computer broke! I finally have a new one so hopefully there will be no issues. I really missed writing, especially when the plot is picking up so much! Another happy note: I've mapped out the rest of this story, so things should be pretty smooth sailing from here on out. I am really excited to reveal where everything is going, and I thank each and every one of you who reads this story from the bottom of my heart. I hope you have a spectacular week! Much love, Guardian


	12. Waltz

Although the ball was filled with royalty wearing expensive ensembles, it was easy to spot the King and Queen of the Sea Side Kingdom amidst the crowd. Bowser could make out their matching turquoise capes and glittering golden crowns in the center of the room. Peach had long since left his side to mingle with her friends, and his children were occupying themselves with a card game at one of the tables that lined the dance floor. Alone, Bowser advanced through the sea of people towards the King and Queen. He soon approached them- other people always got out of his way when they saw him coming. With great respect, he bowed before them.

"Good evening, Your Majesties." He said politely.

"King Bowser! How splendid." The King remarked cheerfully.

"We are so thrilled that you could attend the annual ball," the Queen added, her voice slightly stringent with age.

"Thank you so much for inviting the Darklands." Bowser remarked kindly. "I am so glad to have the opportunity to talk with you both about our kingdoms." He began. Although he saw their eyes harden with disinterest, he pressed on. "The Sea Side Kingdom has always been a strong nation. But there is a great vulnerability in being so close to the sea. I understand that pirates and naval attacks have been a recent issue."

The King and Queen nodded guardedly, unwilling to admit to their weakness.

"On the other hand, the Sea Side Kingdom is vast, and has much untamed wilderness to the north. I know that this land has much potential, but other problems have distracted from utilizing this area."

The King and Queen kept their faces neutral, though their eyes showed that they resonated with what he said.

"I have a proposition for the future of both the Sea Side Kingdom and the Darklands." Bowser assured them. "Our military is more than capable of defending the Sea Side Kingdom's seaward ports and we have the necessary resources to develop the northern border. If you entrust the unmanageable land to the Darklands, we will offer protection in return and 30% of the profits gained from the use of the northern-most areas."

The King and Queen exchanged glances. The comradery between them was so strong that they could carry a conversation using only their eyes. Finally, the King spoke.

"At this time, this is not a deal that we would like to agree to." He admitted. "We are not in a position to sell any of our land to other kingdoms at the moment. Thank you so much for the offer and we will let know if our opinions change." The King smiled.

"Of course." Bowser smiled back, though inside he was fuming. How dare the King and Queen refuse his proposal?! This was his only chance to increase the Darklands' territory without bringing his kingdom into war. He would have to make the declaration to his council after the Sea Side ball. It was a clear choice which kingdom would be sieged first.

* * *

Although Peach desperately tried to make her way through the crowd to the Sea Side King and Queen, other nobility kept interrupting her before she could reach them.

"Yes, yes, this year's ball is so much better than last year's." She absentmindedly agreed with the elderly Duke of Maple Land.

"The food is still bad. It's too chewy! Don't the King and Queen know that some of us have dentures?!" He raved as Peach tried to discreetly crane her neck to see the King and Queen of the Sea Side kingdom. Unfortunately, she couldn't find them- they must have ducked away during her conversation.

"It has been a pleasure talking with you, but I am afraid that I must be going." Peach smiled and walked away, leaving another innocent bystander at the mercy of the Duke's complaints.

Peach needed some punch. For nearly an hour she had tried to track down the King and Queen but they kept evading her. She naively clung to the hope that she would see them on the way to the beverages, but unfortunately they were no where to be found. She joined the line of people waiting to get a glass of the famous drink. It was made with orange sherbet, lemon-lime soda and pineapple juice. Peach took the glass cup from one of the servants and smiled at the orange wedge that had been placed on the rim of the glass. She sipped the citrusy punch and walked toward the tables that lined the dance floor.

Suddenly, the sound of her name caused her to stop in her tracks. She overheard a conversation several feet away. In an instant Peach recognized the speakers as Countess Sapphire and Dame Beatrice from the Metro Kingdom. Both of their backs were to her, unaware that Peach was listening.

"I honestly don't know why she's here. Everyone knows her kingdom has been falling apart since she broke up with Mario!" Countess Sapphire remarked.

"She used to be so popular. Someone needs to break the news to her that she's not famous anymore," Dame Beatrice agreed.

Peach's eyes burned as tears threatened to fall, but she forced herself to listen to the rest of the conversation.

"I heard that she wasn't even invited to the ball. She came as King Bowser's plus one." Countess Sapphire continued.

"They really do deserve each other. Remember when she tackled those people in the ballet?" Dame Beatrice asked.

Peach winced, remembering one of her worst moments from nearly four years ago.

"I guess she forgot to take her happy pills." Countess Sapphire sneered. "Oh look there's Prince Romano- now's our chance to talk with him!"

Both women walked towards the dreamy bachelor with no idea that they had been observed by the topic of their conversation.

Princess Peach was in shambles. She was shocked that Countess Sapphire and Dame Beatrice harbored so much ill will against her. People blurred past her, each mingling and smiling as she stood alone gripping her punch glass. Dejected, she sat down at one of the tables which lined the dance floor and watched the colorful swirling skirts of the other girls as they were spun by their dance partners.

After a while, her solitude was interrupted by an unusually melancholy Bowser.

"How's the ball?" He asked, forcing a smile.

"Absolutely disappointing." Peach answered honestly, giving a pained smile in return.

"Exactly." Bowser took a seat beside her. "When did parties get so terrible?"

"Once we weren't allowed to play underneath the banquet tables anymore." Peach answered, recalling how she and Bowser used to make believe together during their parent's elaborate soirées.

He grinned at the memory.

"Hey, do you want to get some fresh air? There's a balcony on the fourth floor which has a really nice view of the ocean."

"That sounds great," Peach agreed.

She followed him out of the ball room away from the loud music and even louder swells of chatter. The hallway outside was wonderfully quiet as they walked up the stairs to the fourth floor. Peach lost count of the corridors they past before Bowser opened an inconspicuous door which revealed a small balcony nearly unnoticeable on the side of the castle.

"How did you find this?" She asked him.

"I came to the Sea Side Kingdom a couple years back for an environmental conference and couldn't get cell service. I promised my kids that I would call them and wish them each good night. I wandered all over the castle looking for good reception until I finally found it here."

"That's very sweet." Peach told him earnestly. She would have never guessed that Bowser was such a caring father.

"Look!" Bowser raced over the edge of the railing. "You can see the moonlight over the waves."

Each wave seemed to be bathed in silver before it crashed against the rocks. Their crests caught the light and sparkled beautifully.

"It's amazing how quickly they rise. And how quickly they fall." Peach commented, reflecting on her own kingdom.

"They have no choice but to smash the rocks into sand." Bowser commented, reflecting on his kingdom.

Faint music drifted in from the ballroom beneath them. Peach began to sway slightly to the music, focusing on the noise rather than the silence that had grown between them.

"Would you like to dance?" Bowser asked.

"I don't think we have very much room," Peach offered logically.

"Trust me, the less room I have the better." He joked. "I'm a terrible dancer."

Peach's curiosity got the best of her.

"Let's see how bad you truly are," she said, taking his hand. She knew it was cruel to encourage him, but she craved an opportunity to show off her own skills.

He gently placed his hand around her waist and held her arm up too high. Bowser stepped back and forth and together they moved right and left more or less to the music.

"You weren't kidding," Peach smiled, teasing him.

"This is honestly all I know how to do." Bowser confessed, continuing to step back and forth. "But it's way more fun since I'm with you."

Peach blushed at his compliment. He had never been able to hide his affection from her. She knew that he would do anything to win her over. Suddenly, an idea came to her. She remembered what Roy had said during the sandcastle contest. He was willing to do whatever it took to ensure that he didn't lose, even if that meant destroying all of the other sand castles. To save her own kingdom, Peach would need to be willing to pay the price, no matter the cost.

Swaying back and forth in Bowser's arms, Peach knew that she had only one choice: she had to topple the Darklands and conquer its kingdom.

A/N: This story has taken a huge deviation from my original plan, which is completely fine. Originally, in this chapter Peach would have seen that the singer for the ball was none other than Pauline, the woman that Mario left Peach for, and Pauline would have had a huge diamond ring on her finger, implying that she was engaged to Mario. However, I really didn't want to bring in another character and rely on previous drama to drive this story. Instead, I wanted to focus on the characters that had already been established in the story. As always, thank you so much for reading, commenting, following, and favoriting. I am so grateful for you! Please let me know what you think of the story so far, I really welcome feed back! I hope that you have a awesome week. Much love, Guardian


	13. Making Waves

Bowser woke up before dawn with a huge grin on his face. He replayed last night's events over and over in his mind. He couldn't believe that Princess Peach had actually agreed to dance with him! They had stayed outside for a while before it got too cold, and then they returned to the ballroom to retrieve his children before they headed off to sleep. But before they drifted off they agreed to get up early to go for a walk together. Although Bowser usually wasn't a morning person, he was thrilled to start the day with Princess Peach.

He quietly crawled out of bed, careful not to wake Junior. Bowser brushed his teeth, combed his wild red mane, and slipped on his spiked bracelets and necklace. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror before he left the bathroom to meet the princess.

"Are you ready?" Peach asked, standing by the door.

"Let's go," he answered, opening it for her. Peach stepped through and together they walked through the castle to the back garden which led to the beach.

They could see the waves breaking along the coast in the distance, rolling white knuckles that melted onto the sand. Gulls flew high above and pierced the air with their cries to welcome a new day. The faint glow of morning warmed the atmosphere with hazy tones. Bowser felt as though he was in a dream.

"I always love the way things look in the morning," Peach commented cheerfully as they walked down the path to the waterfront.

"Yeah, they're beautiful." Bowser said, purposely staring at her.

Peach blushed and smiled, realizing his meaning.

"Are you excited for the masquerade ball tonight?" Bowser asked, changing the subject.

"I am. That's always the highlight of the event," Peach replied. "Are you dressing up?"

"Of course! I'm not going to be the loser who doesn't have a costume." He joked.

"That was one time!" Peach protested, remembering how she forgot her costume for Scary Autumn Festival when they were young.

"The kids and I are doing a group costume. We all voted on it. Luckily Larry changed his vote or else we all would have dressed up as condiments." Bowser explained.

Peach grinned at the thought.

"I can see you as a large bottle of ketchup." She joked.

"Come on Peach! Obviously I would be barbeque sauce," he shot back pretending to be offended. "Anyway, you'll have to wait and see what we actually dress up as once the masquerade starts. Keep in mind, it's really hard to pick a theme that works with nine people." Bowser conceded.

"Don't you usually have ten people to work with?" Peach asked.

"No." Bowser realized what Peach was implying. "I guess it's been a while, hasn't it?"

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," her crystalline-blue eyes were wide with sympathy.

"It's alright. You deserve to know." Bowser's eyes glanced over to the waves scraping against the sand nearby and collected his thoughts.

To his surprise, Peach took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He took a breath and continued.

"After my dad died, I had to get married in order to take his place on the throne. I never wanted anyone else with me but you. Yet when I asked, you declined my request, to put it nicely."

Peach opened her mouth to interject, but closed it again.

"So I had no other choice but to marry Clawdia." It was the first time he had said her name aloud in years. "She wasn't perfect but she was nice and for a little while I thought that maybe I could be happy. We had Junior then. But after he was born something in her changed. She retreated inside herself. She would stay in bed all day and hardly talk to anyone. She stopped eating or sleeping. I tried to take care of her but she wouldn't respond to me or even Junior, who was just an infant then. He used to cry the entire night but she didn't react, almost as if she didn't hear him. Clawdia was a hollow shell of herself. The psychiatrist diagnosed her with a severe case of postpartum depression. She took pills after that, and things got a little bit better but they gave her strong mood swings and sometimes she became almost manic with rage. After Junior she was never the same."

"I'm so sorry." Peach stared at him with her huge blue eyes. "I can't imagine watching someone I love go through that."

"She told me that she hated me after that." He recounted. "She blamed me for everything: the marriage, having kids, her depression. She said that she made a huge mistake and that as long as we were together she could never be happy."

It hurt him to talk about the past, but it was a dull ache that seemed to come from far away. Each year it felt a little further.

"But things got more complicated," Bowser continued. "One of my mother's cousins in the Fiery Kingdom died along with her husband, leaving seven orphaned children. According to the will, these children were under the legal guardianship of the King and Queen of the Darklands. At the time that it was written, this meant my mother and father. But because no names were specified, the children fell to Clawdia and I as the current King and Queen."

Peach's eyes flashed with understanding.

"So that's how Wendy, Roy, Ludwig, Morton, Iggy, Lemmy and Larry came to us. Clawdia's depression only got worse. She stayed with me for maybe two or three months after that, but then she had to leave. Junior wasn't even a full year old yet."

"How sad," Peach interjected.

"I wouldn't have chosen anything else," he told her honestly. "My kids are everything to me. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for them."

"I never would have guessed that you would be such a good father." Peach said earnestly.

Bowser cringed, knowing the price that he would pay to keep his children in his life.

"So, what have you been up to for the past few years?" He asked Peach, changing the subject.

"I'm sure you know that Mario and I broke up." She confessed. "But that happened a long time ago."

Bowser nodded. Almost immediately after he became King of the Darklands the tabloids were filled with the story of Mario and Peach's split. There were lots of theories about what caused the end of their relationship, but Peach had never confirmed them in her subsequent interviews.

"Did you finally come to your senses and realize that a Princess deserves better than a plumber?" Bowser asked jokingly.

"Something like that," Peach smiled sadly, revealing nothing. "After our break up, my kingdom became my first priority and my only focus. But it hasn't always been easy being a leader. I'm under a lot of pressure."

"I can help you! It would be so much easier if we ruled together-" Bowser stopped himself abruptly, realizing what he was saying. "I mean, if you ever need anything, I'm happy to step in."

"That's very sweet of you," Peach said politely. "There's nothing that I wouldn't do for my kingdom," she echoed his previous comment, her tone dropping with seriousness.

"They're lucky to have you." Bowser smiled.

"Thank you for sharing everything with me," she began, "I had a wonderful time with you. But we should probably be heading back, I will need a lot of time to get ready for the masquerade ball."

"I had a great time too! It's too bad we didn't stay in touch for all those years..." Bowser chose to disregard the boldness in his words.

"It is. Let's do our best to make sure it doesn't happen again." Peach smiled shyly, her eyes round and blue.

Together they walked back along the beach, the sun breaking through the skyline and covering the world in a soft warm glow at the dawning of a new day.

A/N: Thank you for all the comments, follows and favorites! I am beyond honored. I really appreciate the support even when I haven't been updating this story as consistently as I used to. Finally the secrets of Bowser's past have been revealed! I love working on the dialogue between Bowser and Peach, they have a lot of chemistry which is fun to bring out in writing. As always, I would love to hear what you think of the story! Feedback is always appreciated. I hope you have a fantastic week! Much love, Guardian.


	14. Golden

With a few quick dabs of sparkle-powder, Princess Peach was ready to enter the ballroom for the masquerade. She was dressed as a mermaid, with a sequined "tail" skirt and sea shelled top. Her blonde tresses were curled with pearl clips holding the locks in place. Peach had finished the look with sparkly silver eyeshadow and warm coral lip stick. She walked excitedly through the Sea Side castle to the ballroom. But when she arrived, she realized that she wasn't the only one who wanted to dress "on-theme" with the event. She spotted several other mermaids among the party goers, and a few mermen too. Peach's cheeks burned with embarassment. In years past she had been praised for her unique fashion-sense, but now she feared that she would be labeled as unoriginal. Peach shook her head and cleared the doubt from her mind. She had much more important things to worry about than her outfit.

While Bowser and the Koopalings finished dressing Peach made small talk with a few other party-goers. In the past, Peach had lots of people clamoring to chat with her, but now she initiated all the conversations with the other guests. Yet the masquerade was still her favorite part of the Sea Side Kingdom's annual ball. It was amusing to see the usually posh royalty dressed up in costume. The ballroom was filled with brightly colored fabrics, sequins, feathers, and jewels which created a dazzling display around her.

In the corner of her eye she noticed several small figures pass through the large doors to the ballroom. One by one the Koopalings came in, each in a primary color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Iggy and Lemmy were dressed as fluffy clouds, traveling in the front and back of the line. Instantly Peach smiled as she realized that the Darklands royalty had come dressed as a rainbow.

"I love your costume!" Wendy gushed, coming up to her. "I wanted to dress up as something cute, but of course we all had to be involved in the group costume." She looked down with annoyance at the bright purple dress she had on. "At least we all got to pick our colors."

"I still think we should have gone with condiments." Roy complained, dressed head to toe in orange.

"Guess why I picked yellow?" Morton asked, a fierce grin on his face almost as bright as his neon yellow outfit. "Hint: it's convenient."

"Gross Morton!" Wendy rolled her eyes. "No one asked you."

"That's enough," Bowser chided. He was dressed in all red which complimented his amber eyes. "Your costume is fantastic!" He changed topics, focusing on Princess Peach.

"Thank you," she said politely. "I only wish that it wasn't such a popular one. But your group costume is so fun!"

"Princess Peach, will you dance with me?" Junior asked. He had chosen to wear a light sky blue, not to be confused with Ludwig's darker indigo. "I want to, but the rule is you need to have a partner and no one else will do it with me." He glared at his siblings.

"Of course!" She smiled and took his small hand.

Together they walked towards the dance floor. The music was lively and rhythmic, even the guests seated around the dance floor couldn't help but tap their feet to the drums. Peach leaned over slightly so accommodate Junior's short stature. She grasped both his hands and showed him how to move his feet. Eventually, they moved together in a simple step.

"This is fun!" Junior laughed.

"You're really getting the hang of it." Peach complimented, spinning him in a small circle.

"Thank you for teaching me." He smiled wide. "Look how much I can spin!" Junior announced before twirling rapidly around and around.

"Be careful, you don't want to get too dizzy!" Peach laughed as she watched him.

After a few moments Junior stopped spinning and stumbled forward. Peach quickly caught him before he could fall.

"Let's take a break for a minute." She helped him walk off the dance floor and over to the table where Bowser and the other children were seated.

Seeing Junior's queasy expression, Bowser leapt up and helped Peach gently guide him into one of the chairs.

"Are you feeling ok?" He asked his son.

"I don't want to go dancing for a little while..." Junior admitted.

"That's alright. I can take over for you while you rest." Bowser offered his arm to Peach. "Shall we?"

Peach felt her heart flutter just the smallest bit at his request. But she ignored it, hoping that it was just a coincidence.

"Why not?" She asked, and accepted his arm.

Together they walked out to the dance floor. She could feel everyone's eyes on them, and Peach guessed it wasn't simply because their costumes clashed. She searched his eyes to see if he noticed the attention, but he looked too focused on her to care. He smiled and gently grasped her waist. Peach reached up to his shoulder, and they began to dance. He was not a very good dance partner, but Peach could see that he was enjoying himself. From the corner of her eye she saw the hushed whispers and the heads turned in their direction. Peach shut them out and closed her eyes. She moved with Bowser and he led her through the rest of the song, not at all in time with the music.

Her eyes fluttered open as the final beat rang through the air and the band briskly began a new number.

"Were you falling asleep?" Bowser teased.

"Just resting my eyes." Peach played along.

"The best way to wake them up is with a nice view! And the best view that the whole castle has to offer is at the top of the lighthouse. Do you want to come with me?" He asked.

"Should the kids come along?"

"No, I think it would be too much exercise for them. It's fourteen flights of stairs!" He laughed. "Plus, I don't think Junior would be up to it."

"Alright, but just for a minute. I don't want the other guests to miss their topic of conversation." Peach replied wryly.

He smirked at her remark and together they left the dance floor and walked through the castle to the famous stairway. The fourteen flights spiraled up to the heavens in a dizzying circle. Peach knew her calves would be burning by the time she reached the top. She hoped it would be worth it.

Many sweaty minutes later, her hard work paid off. Beneath them lay the bay, dotted with buildings that looked burnt-black against the brilliance of the sky in sunset. The horizon line where the sea met the sky was illuminated with the ripe golden light of the sun's final rays.

"You're right." Peach said. "This does wake up my eyes."

"You're so funny." Bowser said dreamily. "Especially what you said about the people staring."

"I couldn't help it!" She confessed. "It's pathetic that the two of us getting along could cause such a stir."

"I think we should welcome it. It's fun being the center of attention." He joked.

"Only if you're good at dancing!" Peach teased, enjoying the shock and then admiration on Bowser's face. "You know, Junior's actually not bad," she continued, changing the topic.

"Thank you so much for dancing with him. I know he really appreciated it." Bowser absentmindedly tucked a stray lock of hair back behind one of Peach's pearl clips. It had come loose in the gentle breeze, but she hadn't noticed. "Thank you for your kindness towards all of my children. They're a lot to handle sometimes, but you make it look easy."

"It's my pleasure!" Peach smiled.

Bowser stared at her for a moment, his eyes locked on hers. Peach could see that he was pondering something but in an instant she could see the shift in his expression that meant that he had made up his mind.

"Look, Peach, I have to be honest with you. These past few days have been amazing. I've really enjoyed catching up with you again, and I think you should know that I don't mind causing a stir with you. I love causing a stir with you." He looked into her eyes bravely. "I just thought I should let you know that even after you turned me down the feelings that I have for you never went away. No matter what they'll always be there Peach: I love how sweet and funny you are and how you're so devoted to you're kingdom. You are such a strong leader."

Peach's eyes stung at his kind words. She worked tirelessly for her nation and she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed to finally receive some acknowledgement.

"I love how you interact with my kids and fit in so well with them. I love that you're the only person who's not afraid to tease me and call me out for stuff. And you're the most beautiful person in the whole world. I know that you don't feel the same way about me, but if there's any chance please let me know because you've always been everything I've ever wanted. You're a phenomenal person and a phenomenal princess."

Suddenly all the disappointments built up around her- from being belittled by the Sea Side Kingdom's advisor to wearing the same outfit as several other guests at the party- and Peach couldn't contain her emotions. Fat tears rolled from her eyes.

"Oh no, Peach, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Bowser backed away from her in shame. "After tonight when the ball is over you'll never have to see me again. I'm so sorry-"

"No it's not that," Peach said between sniffles. "It's just that I haven't been a phenomenal princess. My kingdom is bankrupt, Bowser. We have nothing." She cleared the distance between them and he wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him closer and sobbed. "This whole ball I've been trying to convince the Sea Side Kingdom to give us financial aid but they've refused. I don't have any other allies left to contact. It's only a matter of time before I'll be overthrown and it's all my fault!"

Bowser's eyes were wide with concern. "It's not your fault," he soothed. "You've done everything that you can for your people. I'm so sorry Peach, I wish I had known. I would have helped you but right now the Darklands needs all the finances we have. I have to double our territory by the end of the year or else I won't be able to continue raising my children. I'll have to bring my kingdom into war. It's the only way I can keep my children in my life."

He held her in his arms quietly a few moments longer as some of the dread that had clutched them dissipated. Peach felt a small sense of relief to have finally told Bowser the truth about her kingdom and Bowser felt content knowing he had finally confessed his feelings to Princess Peach. The waves, small and insignificant, crashed and rolled beneath them as they clung to each other at the top of the lighthouse, a whole city deafly flickering beneath them under the evening sky.

Suddenly, Peach's body tightened against Bowser's. She drew her neck back so that she could look at him face to face. A fresh idea was on her mind, so strong that it transformed her face with new energy.

"I just had a thought;" she suggested, "we need money and you need land. So, I'll make you a deal. The Darklands can purchase a portion of the Mushroom Kingdom's western farmland that borders the two kingdoms. Then, the Darklands will double their territory and the Mushroom Kingdom will have finances. We can rule over that territory together. This will solve both of our problems!" Peach's smile was breathtaking.

"You certainly know how to make a business offer." Bowser beamed. "It's a deal." New hope filled his chest.

"There's no one else I'd rather have ruling by my side." Without thinking, Peach stepped on her tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Her coral lipstick left a mark. Embarrassed, she reached up to rub it off but Bowser grabbed her hand.

"Just leave it. Let's cause a stir." He grinned.

Bowser took Peach's hands in his and together they raced down all fourteen flights of stairs, eager to tell the Koopalings of their new agreement. Peach's heart was beating quickly and she knew that it wasn't only from the intense physical activity. She felt electrified. Everything had happened so quickly that she hadn't taken any time to think about the repercussions of her deal with Bowser. She could only imagine the drama that it would create, with every media outlet abuzz with the news of the negotiation. But her brain was too overloaded with the events of the day to spend much time envisioning her future. She was locked in the present, every instant capturing her full attention.

Together Bowser and Peach re-entered the ballroom, though it took a few moments for the other guests to acknowledge their arrival. The look of surprise and horror on the faces of the other royals was priceless, but neither Peach nor Bowser took notice of them. However, if Peach had been paying closer attention, she would have seen the slight nod of approval that Sir Roberto Lumis gave in their direction from his seat beside the King and Queen.

"Is that Princess Peach with King Bowser Koopa?" The Sea Side King asked his wife from their exclusive dining area on the far side of the ballroom.

"It must be, though I never would have thought that the two of them would get together." She answered. "Is that a kiss mark on Bowser's cheek? My, some people have no sense of decorum."

"As I've always said, Princess Peach has never been predictable." Sir Roberto Lumis interjected.

"The situation in the Mushroom Kingdom must be dire for her to resort to use her charm to get into Bowser's wallet. She seemed smarter than that," the Queen said snidely.

"I must disagree, You Majesty," Sir Roberto Lumis argued. "Princess Peach is not stupid. Nor is she a gold digger. She is simply resilient. And such resiliency deserves the deepest respect."

"Indeed." The King agreed. "Only time will tell if such acts of resiliency were enough to save her nation."

A/N: Don't worry! There is still one more chapter left to go in this story! I really appreciate all the follows/favorites and especially reviews that this story has received. Thank you so much for reading it! Writing this story has been a whirlwind, and although it has been very challenging in a lot of ways I also know I've grown a lot as a writer throughout this process. I don't know what I would do without you! My gratitude is immeasureable. I hope that you have a wonderful new year filled with festivities! Much love, Guardian.


	15. Wish

Bowser gently tucked the stretchy elastic band of the birthday party hat under his chin and adjusted the pointy top in the mirror. Although he usually detested any hat other than his crown, he would gladly suffer through wearing the tacky and uncomfortable accessory for the sake of Junior's birthday. Kamek had decorated the whole castle with bright balloons and streamers. There was an inflatable bouncy house and a slip-n-slide set up in the front grass. A colorful piñata dangled from one of the towering trees. Everything was set up according to plan.

Quietly, Bowser crept up the stairs towards the room shared by Junior and Larry. He slowly opened the door and walked to Junior's bed. Bowser took out his birthday cowbell and began to ring it furiously near Junior's ear.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It's your birthday day today!" He yelled loudly. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It's time to celebrate!"

Junior shot awake, panic in his eyes. Upon seeing his dad in a birthday hat, Junior's mouth broke into a grin.

"Happy birthday Junior!" Bowser smiled back.

"Thanks dad!" He beamed.

"Can you both shut up?" Larry groaned from the bed beside Junior's.

"Sorry Larry, you can't go back to sleep. As the first ones awake on this birthday day, it's your jobs to wake up the rest of your siblings in whatever way you want."

Junior and Larry's eyes lit up and they grinned mischievously. Together they scurried from their beds and raced into their siblings rooms, rousing them from their slumber.

While everyone got up, Bowser went down the stairs to the kitchen to see that the breakfast spread was set out. He had asked the chefs to make chocolate pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and lots and lots of hashbrowns. He took his seat at the head of the dining table and waited for the Koopalings to arrive. It didn't take long, the scent of the food wafting through the air brought everyone to the table.

"This looks so good! I'm glad you didn't try to make the food again," Wendy shot a pointed look at Bowser.

"Yeah that was a mistake." He recalled the blackened waffles that he had tried to make for Ludwig's birthday.

"What present are you most hoping to get?" Roy asked Junior.

"A new painting set!" He answered between mouthfuls. "I used up all the blue and red in my last one."

"I thought you wanted a year's supply of dirt. My bad." Roy smiled at the look of horror on Junior's face.

"He's kidding, Junior," Bowser explained.

"Can we go play outside now?" Morton begged.

"Once Kamek's done setting up and the guests arrive." Bowser answered. "We still have about an hour."

Twenty minutes later, the Koopalings finished their breakfast and then all but Junior raced off to their rooms to finish wrapping their presents for the birthday boy before the party started. Junior and Bowser sat together while the staff cleared away all the dirty plates and silverware.

"How does it feel to be another year older?" Bowser asked.

"I'm still younger than everyone else. I wish I had someone to boss around," Junior answered.

Bowser chuckled at his response.

"No matter how old you get older siblings will always tell you what to do," he laughed.

"There's a visitor to see you, Your Majesty," one of the servants said from the doorway. "Shall I bring them in?"

"I guess so, there's no where else for them to go." Bowser tried to hide his irritation that a guest had the audacity to arrive an hour early to the event.

Immediately, Bowser's mouth melted into a smile when he saw Princess Peach enter through the door, holding a perfectly wrapped pink present in her arms. She rushed over to him and Junior and planted a firm kiss on his cheek.

"Happy Birthday Junior!" She beamed. "Where should I put the gift?" Her eyes met Bowser's.

"Can I open it now? Please?" Junior begged.

"It might be helpful to open it now before the party starts," Peach stared pointedly at Bowser.

"Alright, go ahead." He acquiesced.

Peach handed Junior the package. His sharp little claws tore through the wrapping paper and box underneath. In a flurry of cardboard, Junior scratched the box open to find a birthday sash, colorful birthday glasses and face paint.

"Thank you Mama Peach!" He excitedly placed the glasses on his nose. "I love it!"

Peach smiled, slightly embarrassed. "Junior, calling me "Princess Peach" is fine."

"I like Mama Peach better. I'm going to show Larry my presents!" Junior raced out of the room to find his brother.

"I'm sorry about that," Bowser started, "I've tried to talk to him about it and I know that it bothers you-"

"Bothers me? It's never bothered me, I just don't want to confuse him, that's all. I'm not his mother." She explained.

"His mother didn't even bother attending her own son's birthday party." Bowser said quietly.

Peach's crystalline blue eyes flashed with sympathy. "I'm so sorry. I know that you wanted her to come."

"I wish that she wanted to be part of Junior's life. He's already started asking questions about her, I'm sure that as he grows up he'll wish that he had gotten to know her for himself."

"You're a wonderful father." Peach took his hand. "He's very lucky to have you."

"I'm lucky to have him." He squeezed her tiny hand in his. "If it weren't for our deal I would have lost my chance to raise him."

Her eyes glistened with emotion. "If it weren't for you I would have lost my kingdom! Six months ago I was ready to face an uprising but now my approval ratings are better than ever." She smirked. "I think the growth of tabloid sales may have had something to do with it."

Bowser grinned, recalling the media buzz that they created as rumors about their relationship went viral.

"Dad, there's someone outside to see you!" Junior ran back into the room, fully adorned in his birthday accessories.

"Excuse me for a minute," Bowser told Peach. "It's probably the balloon-animal guy," he whispered, leaving the room to investigate.

In the meantime, Junior crawled onto Peach's lap and gave her a big hug.

"Thank you for the birthday gift! This is my best birthday ever!" He told her.

"Have you decided what you want to wish for yet?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"In the Mushroom Kingdom, there's a tradition that when you blow out the candles on the top of your cake you make a wish, and because it's your birthday it has to come true. But you can't say it out loud or else it won't work." Peach explained.

"Here when we blow out the candles we are blowing the past year away," Junior told her. "But wishes are better! Can I still make one even though I'm a Koopa?"

"Of course." Peach smiled warmly, wrapping her arms around the sweet boy nestled in her lap.

* * *

Later that day, after all the guests had arrived, all the balloon animals had been created, and all of the candies flung from the piñata, Bowser Junior sat upright on the edge of his chair, anticipating the moment that he had waited all day for. Ever since Peach told him about the birthday wish, he had been mulling over what he would choose. Although he wanted to wish for one thousand bars of chocolate, he knew that eventually he would get tired of the flavor. There was a downside to nearly every wish that he thought of. He didn't want to risk anything, especially since it was his first birthday wish and he still wasn't sure how he was supposed to do it.

Bowser slowly lowered the birthday cake down before him. The candles were flickering atop the cake and the birthday song echoed in the air, sung horrendously off-key thanks to his siblings. Time seemed to melt and Junior felt the pressure fall upon him. What would he wish for?

He looked around the room frantically, hoping to find inspiration. The song had almost come to an end and he would be forced to choose.

Suddenly, just as the final word of the song rang out, Junior knew what he would wish for. Looking around he saw how happy his seven siblings were. Even though they all fought, he knew that no matter what they always looked out for him, even when they bossed him around. He saw the happiness in Bowser eyes as he held hands with Princess Peach. Junior saw pride too, and the love that he had for his son. Lastly, he saw Peach, her smile wide and encouraging, as if she could read his mind. She nodded at him and Junior knew it was time for him to make his wish.

I wish that our family would stay this happy forever. He thought quietly to himself.

With a quick breath, he blew the candles out. Their flames flickered and died until all that remained were ashes.

A/N: It is finished! Thank you always for reading and I want to give a special thank-you to everyone who has followed or favorited this story, and especially to those who have left comments. I don't have plans to write any more Mario fanfictions, but I do want to keep writing in the future. Please let me know what you thought of this story and I wish each and every one of you only the best. Much love, Guardian


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